Fluency
You may have noticed your child is having periods of dysfluency; this can be referred to as a stutter or a stammer. This could have started very suddenly or it may come and go. Children have difficulties with fluency for lots of different reasons and this can present differently. Some children repeat whole words, short phrases or sounds in words. They can stretch out sounds of appear to not be able to produce a sound at all. You may also notice other behaviours linked to the problems with fluency. It can be very difficult to see your child having difficulties with fluency, however there are lots of very effective approaches, particularly for young children.
Top Tips
Time to Talk
Give your child lots of time to talk. Try to keep conversation relaxed, even if you feel worried. Give your child lots of eye contact, pause and wait for them to finish without interrupting.
Talk Time
Try to set aside some time everyday to talk with your child. Where you can this time should have minimal distractions, focus on one calm activity and give your child opportunities to talk in a relaxed environment. If possible, it can be useful to have talk time just you and your child.
