Why should I seek treatment from a speech pathologist for my child’s stutter?
There are many reasons why we encourage parents to seek help for their children’s stutter as soon as they notice it.
Children are likely to be aware of their stuttering shortly after it starts, and it may cause distress. Some studies have shown that stuttering may result in negative peer reactions even in the preschool years, which potentially may be associated with the development of social anxiety later in life.
Stuttering significantly affects a person’s quality of life. Many of us will have seen the movie ”The King’s Speech” which coveys how difficult the life of King George VI was because of his stutter.
Not only does stuttering affect a person’s ability to fluently express their thoughts and ideas, the research indicates that stuttering has a significant negative effect on a person’s life outcome. The disorder is a known cause of social anxiety. People who stutter have poorer educational outcomes; have lower incomes, poorer health outcomes, lower occupational attainment and poorer personal adjustment.
Another factor in seeking help for stuttering early is that the treatment methods become more complex as stutterers get older.
Knowing that all of these difficulties could be avoided with early therapy help is a very compelling reason to seek treatment for children’s stuttering as soon as stuttering is apparent.
At Eastside Speech we use the Lidcombe Program to treat children’s stuttering. All of our therapists are trained and experienced in this program. For more information about our Stuttering Therapy for Children get in touch with one of our Speech Pathologists today on 02 9313 8980.
Klein, J. F., & Hood, S. B. (2004). The impact of stuttering on employment opportunities and job performance. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 29, 255–273
McAllister, J., Collier, J., & Shepstone, L. (2012). The impact of adolescent stuttering on educational and employment outcomes: Evidence from a birth cohort study. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 37, 106–121.
Glover, H. L., Louis, K. O. S., & Weidner, M. E. (2018). Comparing stuttering attitudes of preschool through 5th grade children and their parents in a predominately rural Appalachian sample.doi.org/10.1016/j.jfludis.2018.11.001