Should I Talk About Stuttering with Child?

Parents often ask if it’s helpful to talk about stuttering with their child. Open communication, backed by research, can support children who stutter by fostering understanding, reducing confusion, and offering them a sense of belonging and empowerment.

Why Talk About Stuttering?

Open and honest conversations about stuttering can be a powerful tool for children and their caregivers. By openly discussing stuttering, you can create a supportive environment that benefits everyone:

Foster Understanding and Connection: Openly discussing stuttering helps young people understand their unique communication style and fosters confidence in expressing themselves. These conversations provide space for reflection, helping them build a positive relationship with their stuttering. By creating a supportive environment, you can also offer the encouragement and guidance they need as they navigate their experiences.

Acknowledge Stuttering as a Natural Way of Communicating: Talking openly about stuttering helps to frame it as a natural and valid way of speaking. Through these discussions, your young person learns that stuttering is simply one of many ways people communicate, contributing to their sense of self-acceptance. These conversations can also foster comfort and ease when talking about stuttering in various settings, whether with teachers, friends, or extended family members.

Empowerment: Open conversations about stuttering provide your young person with the confidence to express themselves and explain the way they talk to others when they choose. This supports their growing independence and sense of agency over their own experiences. For caregivers, these discussions offer an opportunity to gain confidence in supporting your child and advocating for their needs in different environments.

5 Tips for Talking About Stuttering

Once you've decided to have an open conversation about stuttering with your young person, here are some practical strategies and examples of what you can say to keep in mind:

Start by Talking About Diversity and Communication Differences

Talking about diversity in how people talk, move, and interact can help frame stuttering as just one of the many natural differences we encounter. For example, "People talk in lots of different ways, and one of the ways you talk is called stuttering. It’s one of the many ways people are unique." We love Roz MacLean's book, "More Than Words: So Many Ways to Say What You Mean" for talking about communication differences.

Use Simple, Clear, Neutral Language

When discussing stuttering, use age-appropriate language that is factual, avoids negativity, and focuses on the experience of stuttering. For example, "Do you feel like your words get stuck sometimes? That's called stuttering! It's a way of talking."

Practice Active Listening

Create a safe space for your child to ask questions and express any concerns they may have. Practice active listening by making eye contact, asking questions, and avoiding interruptions.

Ask-Open-Ended Questions

At Support for Young Stutterers, we believe that connection with your young person is paramount. Open-ended questions can be a powerful tool for fostering that connection and understanding your child's experiences with stuttering.

Help Them Figure Out What to Say to Others

While your young person doesn't owe anyone explanations, brainstorm some simple and clear responses they can use if they choose to answer questions from others. For example, "Some people might be curious about stuttering. What would you like to tell them about it?"

Want more ideas for supporting your young person who stutters?

Follow along with us @SupportYoungStutterers on Instagram for additional resources and to connect with our community.

References

Morin, A. (2022, June 15). Talking to your child about their disability. Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/talk-to-your-child-about-his-or-her-disability-4142685

Logan, K.J., & Yaruss, J.S. (1999). Helping parents address attitudinal and emotional factors with young children who stutter. Contemporary Issues in Communication Science and Disorders, 26, 69-81.

Yaruss, J. S. (2017, January 23). It’s Okay to Talk to Children About Their Stuttering! MedBridge Blog. https://www.medbridge.com/blog/2017/01/okay-talk-children-stuttering/#:~:text=Speech%2Dlanguage%20pathologists%20and%20parents,speech%20makes%20the%20stuttering%20worse.

Yaruss, J.S., Coleman, C., & Hammer, D. (2006). Treating preschool children who stutter: Description and preliminary evaluation of a family-focused treatment approach. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 37, 118-136.