Top Tips for Parents/Carers

Supporting Your Child Who Stammers

Stammers can appear in children gradually over time or seemingly in an instant. At two years old, my son went to bed with fluent speech and woke up with a stammer — repeating 6 or 7 sounds at the start of words. He didn’t seem to notice, but even as a specialist therapist, it was quite scary to see such a sudden change in my own child.

In younger children stammering is common and resolves in many children but for some children it will persist and specialist support is beneficial.

As parents or carers, you are in the best position to support your child’s fluency, and as Speech and Language Therapists, we can help you feel confident and informed in doing so.

General Strategies to Support Fluency

For many children who stammer, a few simple adjustments at home can make a big difference. These help by reducing pressure and reduce expectations for children to speak ‘perfectly’ or fluently:

• Have regular 1-1 or ‘special’ time with your child. Keep it low pressure and let them take the lead. It’s also great to have similar 1-1 time with siblings so that this time isn’t seen as something “extra” just for the child who stammers.

• Avoid giving advice like “slow down” or “take a breath.” These comments can make children feel like they’re doing something wrong — when stammering is something they can’t control. Instead, give them plenty of time, listen patiently, and show you’re interested in what they’re saying — not how they’re saying it.

• Keep demands low. It’s natural to want to ask lots of questions about your child’s day, but this can sometimes create pressure. Try commenting instead — for example, “I had a huge bowl of pasta for my dinner!” and see if they respond. If they don’t, that’s absolutely fine — we don’t need to push.

• It’s okay to talk about the stammer. If your child gets stuck, acknowledge it calmly and positively: “That got a bit stuck, didn’t it? I’m really proud of you for carrying on.” We don’t want the stammer to become an elephant in the room — children should know that their way of speaking isn’t something to hide or feel ashamed of.

When Should I Speak to a Therapist?

If the stammer persists for more than a few months or your child/you is becoming distressed or frustrated with it then it might be a good idea to speak to a Speech and Language Therapist for advice.

How We Can Help

At The Stammer Space, we provide online sessions for children and adults who stammer, as well as their families. A Speech and Language Therapist will help you understand your child’s stammer in more depth and guide you through specific communication strategies to support their fluency — and build your confidence too.

We also understand that having a child who stammers can feel worrying or overwhelming at times. That’s why we offer the option of working with a CBT therapist alongside speech therapy, if you’d like to explore this. The more relaxed and comfortable you are with your child’s stammer, the more relaxed and confident they are likely to feel about it too. 

If you are concerned about your child’s stammer and would like further advice and guidance please don’t hesitate to get in touch.