SFA headlines Dr. Wallace's columns

 

Dr. Robert Wallace's syndicated column, "TWEEN 12 & 20," which reaches millions of readers, has referred to The Stuttering Foundation twice during the past month.

 

EIGHT TIPS FOR TALKING with A CHILD WHO STUTTERS

 

Sept. 17, 2005

 

DR. WALLACE: I am a single mother with a son who has been having problems speaking. Kevin stutters. I'm not very educated and I don't know anything about the Internet. Is there anything I can do by myself to help him? He is not in school yet. I think he can get help when he is old enough for first grade. - Mom, New Orleans

 

MOM: The Stuttering Foundation of America offers eight tips for talking with a child with a speech impediment. These should help:

 

1. Speak with your child in an unhurried way, pausing frequently. Wait a few seconds after your child finishes speaking before you begin to speak. Your own slow, relaxed speech will be far more effective than any criticism or advice such as "slow down" or "try it again slowly."

 

2. Reduce the number of questions you ask your child. Children speak more freely if they are expressing their own ideas rather than answering an adult's questions. Instead of asking questions, simply comment on what your child has said, thereby letting him know you heard him.

 

3. Use your facial expressions and other body language to convey to your child that you are listening to the content of his message and not to how he's talking.

 

4. Set aside a few minutes at a regular time each day when you can give your undivided attention to your child. During this time, let the child choose what he would like to do. Let him direct you in activities and decide himself whether to talk or not. When you talk during this special time, use slow, calm and relaxed speech, with plenty of pauses.

 

5. This quiet, calm time can be a confidence-builder for younger children, letting them know that a parent enjoys their company. As the child gets older, it can be a time when the child feels comfortable talking about his feelings and experiences with a parent.

6. Help all members of the family learn to take turns talking and listening. Children, especially those who stutter, find it much easier to talk when there are few interruptions and they have the listener's attention.

7. Observe the way you interact with your child. Try to increase those times that give your child the message that you are listening to him and he has plenty of time to talk. Try to decrease criticisms, rapid speech patterns, interruptions and questions.

 

8. Above all, convey that you accept your child as he is. The most powerful force will be your support of him, whether he stutters or not.

 

For more information on stuttering and ways to help Kevin, write to the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation at info@stutteringhelp.org. Or call (toll free) 800-992-9392. The Stuttering Foundation (stutteringhelp.org) is a wonderful organization and I highly recommend it.

 

'EVEN WHEN I KNEW THE ANSWER, I WOULDN'T RAISE MY HAND'

Aug. 18, 2005

TEACHERS: When you hear a child stutter, the immediate reaction might be one of concern mixed with a host of urgent questions: Should I call on the student in class or will that only make it worse? How should I handle teasing and bullying by other students? What should I do about reading aloud in class?

 

The Stuttering Foundation is making "Stuttering: Straight Talk for Teachers" available on DVD just as teachers are starting to make back-to-school preparations. This 20-minute film helps people understand how stuttering can affect children of all ages in the classroom.

 

The highlight of the DVD is the part where children who stutter discuss their own experiences in the classroom and share what was helpful for them. "The courage and honesty of the children sharing their experiences helps teachers find solutions for the children in their class," says Lisa Scott, Ph.D., of Florida State University, co-producer of the DVD.

 

"Even when I knew the answer, I wouldn't raise my hand because I was worried about what others might think," says Umberto, a teenager in the video. He added that giving a classroom presentation on stuttering to the entire class made him feel more at ease.

 

"At the beginning of the school year, I was embarrassed to read aloud in front of my teacher and friends because of my stuttering," says Kate. She worked with her teacher to make a plan about how she could practice first at home and then individually with her teacher.

 

Martin offers a different perspective. "I feel confident and even though I might mess up when I talk, I'm not ashamed. I still want the teacher to call on me even though I might be having a bad day."

 

Practical strategies that teachers can use immediately to help children feel more comfortable talking in the classroom are presented by speech-language pathologists Bill Murphy, M.A., of Purdue University and Kristin Chmela, M.A.., of Northwestern University.

 

At school, children who stutter often face bullying and teasing. This treatment by other students sometimes causes more anxiety than does the speech disorder itself. Murphy suggests that teachers make stuttering an open topic of discussion in the classroom.

 

"Even the children who receive therapy to help them speak more fluently continue to have negative feelings as they grow older," Murphy says. "Their ability to communicate is still hindered by the shame and embarrassment they feel about stuttering, which is often brought on by teasing."

 

"This DVD is an excellent resource for educators at all grade levels. I now feel more at ease having a child who stutters in my classroom," said Katie Lenell, an elementary-school teacher in New Carlisle, Ind.

 

The DVD, which is offered free to all public libraries, comes with a 42-page handbook of additional information and resources. A videotape version is also available. For more information, contact the Stuttering Foundation at 1-800-992-9392 or online at www.stutteringhelp.org or www.tartamudez.org (Spanish).

 

Parents, it would be an excellent idea to give your child's teacher a copy of this DVD on the first day of school.