Question

My 7-year-old has always been a quiet speaker, but recently he has been struggling with fluency, repeating words or sentences frequently. How should stuttering in children be treated?

Answer

It is common for children to encounter difficulties in their speech development during the learning process. Parents should not worry excessively; with the correct and scientific approach, the child’s stuttering can be improved. Here are some suggestions:

  1. Parents should treat their child’s stuttering with a calm attitude and avoid overcorrection or pressure.
  2. It is important to avoid punishing, discriminating, or making fun of the child, as these actions may exacerbate their anxiety.
  3. Encourage the child to speak boldly and tell them they can speak slowly, finding their own pace of speech.
  4. Teaching the child to recite poems, practice “rhymes,” tell jokes, and read stories can help improve their language expression skills.