Question
A 4-year-old girl has been experiencing stuttering since July this year, and the situation has worsened as she starts kindergarten. The parents recall that the child fell down the stairs at the age of 2 and are worried that this event might be related to the stuttering, seeking professional advice urgently.
Answer
Firstly, it is important to investigate the causes of the stuttering, such as whether there are people who stutter in the child’s surroundings, and to avoid having the child imitate them. If parents are too strict with their child’s stuttering, they should adjust their attitude promptly, avoiding excessive criticism and prohibitions, as this can increase the child’s tension and exacerbate the stuttering. Secondly, attention-diversion methods can be used, such as through games or other activities to distract the child from focusing on their stuttering; or the words that the child often stutters can be turned into songs to help them learn with the help of melody. Parents can also practice speaking with their child together and offer encouragement during the process to strengthen their child’s confidence in overcoming the stuttering.