Speech Therapy - Parlin, NJ

I am a speech therapist - and yes there are two thoughts out there like you said. The most important thing is to let him be himself (stutter or not) while addressing the issue. Find a speech therapist that is good with stuttering and follows a philosphy you agree with. Not all know what to do with stuttering - and some approaches are just not that great. I don't know where you live - but at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY they have a "Fluency Clinic" that may help - at least they may be able to get you info. I am really short on time this am now - but look up "The Synergistic Approach to Stuttering" by Charlene Bloom and Donna Cooperman - it's the one I learned the most and brings different approaches together. If you want more info - send me a message and I will get back ASAP

Get the speech therapy! Even if he does not realize about it now kids are cruel and will not so nicelly tell him about it. It doesn't matter how hard you, teachers or any adult tries to supervise children will tease and be mean. As a former teacher and a parent I know that I try to make my children be kind, respectful and considerate of others. You can not control others children and even the best teacher can't be everywhere every minute and keep all comments from being said. A.

Hi S.! If he is not aware of his problem now, he will be shortly when he is around other children. I would absolutely take him to a speech pathologist and at least let them evaluate him. My friend is a speech pathologist and has worked wonders on MANY children. You should really give it a try. You don't want other kids to start to pick on him (kids can be real mean), because this can definitely alter his self-esteem!!!!!!!! Good luck.

Hi S.,

I am a Mommy and Speech Therapist who has worked with children from birth to elementary age children (through Early Intervention and in public schools). I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions and offer a therapist's perspective. Obviously, I can't diagnose your son through e-mail, but hopefully I can help at least a little. Can you tell me a little bit about what your son sounds like when he 'stutters'. I put ' around stutters, as I can't be completely sure he is truly doing so until I know the nature of what we call 'disfluencies'. Is he repeating whole words or just the beginning sounds of the word? Does he seem to get stuck on particular sounds and nothing comes out? How do you react when he is disfluent? Is he disfluent more when he is excited or has a lot to say, but not a lot of time to get it out (i.e. when competing with his older brother for attention?) The thing about getting therapy in school (public school, right?), is that it's not as easy as just asking for it. The child's impairment has to be severe enough that it is affecting his performance in the classroom. I know it's awful, but stutterers (which your son might not even be considered at this point) often have to be so severe that they are not participating in class due to their embarrassment. School therapists are often hesitant to recommend outside help (also awful) because if they don't word it in just the right way, the school could be asked to pay for it and they could get in trouble. If he is not noticing it, that is a good thing! I would take him to a private speech therapist for an evaluation as you might hit some road blocks with the school. With that said, each individual school district can be different and more or less willing to accomodate a parent's request, so they may be able to test him, but it will be quicker and you'll get more of an unbiased opinion (without impact from school system) from a private speech therapist. First, s/he will be able to tell whether or not your son is truly stuttering. Through therapy (if needed), s/he will work with your son about identifying when his speech is 'bumpy' vs. 'smooth' and making it more smooth in a tactful, sensitive, and age-appropriate way. Therapy should also involve some things for you to work on with him at home as well as recommendations on how to react when he is disfluent and what to do to be supportive. At the very least, if it is discovered he doesn't need therapy, the speech therapist can give you some specific recommendation of what you can do at home to help him. You can go to www.asha.org to find a licensed speech therapist in your area. ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association) is the national association which certifies speech therapists. Click on 'the public' and scroll down to 'find a professional' to start your search. I would also call your health insurance to see what they do and don't cover when it comes to speech therapy. Please don't hesitate to contact me through Mamasource if you'd like more info or to talk more. Take care!

Hi S.,
My name is E. and not only am I am new mom of an 8 month old but I am a speech therapist who specializes exclusively in the area of stuttering in the Westchester area. There is a lot to talk about here and help that you can get for your son. I am board recognized in the area of fluency and have 10 years experience solely in this area. Please contact me if you want to discuss your son's issues further. My professional email is ____@____.com. I hope that I can help in some way to at least give you some clarity and support!
E.

Hi S.,

I stuttered as a child and now I don't.

I think people are confusing self esteem with the pretense that every child is born perfect. And being perfect should be the goal for every child. Having a challenge grows character and builds strength. We learn everything from our failures in life - and nothing from our successes.

Stuttering can easily be resolved as soon as you find a doctor who learns the cause, because every child stutters for different reasons. In fact, I had a male friend in college who began stuttering as a teen due to a tramatic event.

I was not born stuttering.
When I find an adult who has problems communicating I totally pick up on it - even if it is mild. I take a deep breath and I listen very closely, because the failures I've overcome I use as a blessing to others. Everyone has to develop their listening skils with a stutter in the house.

You know your child is stuttering -get him help, fast.
And if he goes with family memebers or to the park he already knows that he stutters - kids are smarter than we think.
He knows his words are not coming out as easily as it should.

I am a 34year old mom of a 5yr old and 13yr old. My 5yr old has the exact same situation and I did reach out to a speech therapist and he is slowly improving. He is conscious of it as well as some of the kids he interacts with. He does notice it and sometimes corrects himself. It cant hurt to try follow your hurt not anyone elses.

Hi S., I am not an expert but I do think you should get him some help. I worry because the other children in school can be so cruel. Follow your heart and do what is best for your child. Good wishes, Grandma Mary

Because of friends and family experiences, I am very concerned about speech problems. Speech is very important to communication of course and could interfere with a person's
attitude and maybe even character, if a problem with communicating thoughts or point of view arises.

First of all I must commend you on the way you obviously observe your children's behaviour etc. and I am proud that you even took action immediately. We must recognize the fact that doctors can assist us more readily if we can give more specific details about our areas of concern.

From what you have explained you are watching this and I do agree with the opinion that including him in your concern could intensify it, but having taken him to the doctor and planning to check out the speech therapy is good. Maybe keeping a few notes as to what is taking place just before the stuttering starts could be an indication as to where the true problem lies. Also if it is a confidence situation I do believe that you will be able to correct this as you see fit.

Within the last 10 years or maybe even more, overlooking some simple signs could prove to be devastating (Look at the recent reports of dry drowning). So hats off to you! Please bring your concern to God in prayer.

Peace and Love
F. G

Hi S.:

It sounds like it is a good time for him to be evaluated. You do not have to tell him that he is being evaluated for his stutter. You can simply tell him that his new teachers want to get to know him better and are going to ask him some questions. If he needs the services, he can receive them in school. Also, I would follow the advice of the speech therapist once your son has been evaluated. He or she may suggest strategies to use with him that may not directly bring attention to his stutter (such as you slowly repeating what he said).

Good luck!

Hi S.,
Ask your son to talk a bit slower, sometimes it's as easy as that. Keeping in mind that sometimes it's just that the child may be thinking faster than they are able to speak. One of my daughters (she is 9 now) has been in speech therapy for a few years for other speech impairments. During speech class, it's not just about the speech problem at hand that you visually see. They learn many other skills including following multi- step directions, clues from pictures, and more. These things are also helpful in determining where the stuttering may come from. Also, have you noticed that it happens at certain times, like when he's excited about something, or nervous about something. This is sometimes the cause and then just ask him to speak slower. Just things to think about. Hope this helps.
R. (I'm a mom of 2 girls (14 and 9), a Master Healer and an educator.) whitelightandhealing.com

The speech therapist was right that at 2 not to worry about it, they usually outgrow it. Now at 5 it's a different story. The fact that some days he doesn't stutter at all is interesting, he's probably stuttering when he's under some sort of stress, or his mind is going too fast. Kindergarten can definetly be stressful, so I would definetly have him evaluated and hopefully nip this in the bud! Good Luck!

my husband has a stuttering problem that he's had since he was a child. No one ever helped him with it, and kids as well as teachers used to make fun of him. He's now 31 and it still bothers him to this day. I notice it at times, like you said, some days it's very noticeable and others not so much. I would advise you to get help for your son now, before it gets worse or harder to treat. He may be aware of it but too afraid or ashamed to tell anyone. Just try to be as sensitive as you can and let him know it's o.k.. You could even play up the "special time" he'll have with a speech therapist at school that the other kids don't get. I'm not sure where you are located, but I'm pretty sure that your son will have to be evaluated and recommended for speech therapy in order to receive it through the school, so make sure you have that done prior to him attending. Best of luck with everything and God Bless you and your family.

p.s. I'm a 32 yo sahm with a 2 1/2 yo daughter and 4 month old son.

Hi, I have never had that particular problem with either of my children, but I think that speech therapy through the school will be fine. And just an observation, he may not be aware of it now because no one has pointed it out, but once he starts school someone is bound to say something, kids can say the darndest things and not even realize they could be hurting someone's feelings. His self esteem will be in jepoardy if kids make fun also. Therapy can only help.

I think it's better to go with the intervention. If he is not aware of this problem now, he may very well be once he starts school. Kids are quick to point out such things in others.

My oldest son started stuttering after I had my second child. The pediatrician told me to stop what I was doing and listen to what the child had to say. It was hard, but it worked.

As a mother you have a lot to accomplish and want to accomplish everything. Try VERY HARD to stop and look at you child when he is talking - make him feel that he has your total attention. He won't feel like he has to say what he has to say in a very short time, he will relax and the stuttering will stop.

D.
I'm 60 years old. I have been married to the same man for over 38 years. I have two grown sons and one daughter-in-law.

Hi,
I taught kindergarten for 3 years, and had a few students who stuttered, or had a lisp when they spoke. My suggestion would be to follow up on the speech evaluation. Many time just stuttering is not a mojor problem, and does not cause any problems in school. Many times, stuttering does not qualify a child for speech services, but don't be afraid to keep following up on evaluations. The sqeaky wheel gets the grease. Don't worry about your child starting school, it is a very common thing, and your child's teacher will be able to help you with any questions or concerns, as well as avenues to follow for further help. It may just be something that he will grow out of, but only someone who knows or has evaluated the child will be able to know for sure.

Hi S.-

It's best to get early intervention. While the speech therapist you saw may be right, what if she's wrong? It's better to get intervention early rather than later on. That's why they call it EARLY intervention. I know because my son had Early Intervention from 8 months old. He's had speech, PT, and OT. While my son has a diagnosed case of cerebral palsy, it's no different with respect to getting help as early as possible. Children are very adaptable so it's best not to wait. In my opinion, you should get a second opinion.

Hope this helps.

A little about me:

I love to shop and read as well as help others. I own my own business and I am a business coach providing free mentoring to individuals with stay at home businesses, teaching the skills needed for success.

I am newly married (Sept. '07) but we've been together for 5 years. I have 3 children, 1 is special needs. He's the best little boy! Christopher is 7. My other 2 are 13 (girl) and 20 (boy)

S.,
Have you done any research, talk with your pedi. I have a sweet 20 mos little boy. He has been in speech and occupational therapy for 7mos now. I have done lots of research on line and asked many questions of his therapists. I also talk to his pedi and voice my concerns. She is wonderful, she has set up his referals for his therapy. I have also been told by his therapists he is to young to determine certain learning disorders (and told by his therapists that they are not licensed to determine any disorders). So I have talked with his pedi and she is setting up another referal to have him evaluated to determine if he has a specific disorder, because she is as concerned as I am. He has come a long way in a short time but is not yet near were he should be developmently. I guess in short I should say it's just like health care, when at times you need to take matters into your own hands. If you don't get satisfaction and answers by asking, then "Tell them what you want". When I started Alex in therapy I had people telling me I needed to let him go at his pace. I'm glad I didn't listen to them ,It has detemined that he has specific special needs to help him through the day, and that has led me to ask if he dose need further tests. Also how is his hearing that could have a major impact on speech development. It may also be in his best interest to have the shape of his mouth checked, if you haven't already had that done. Stress also factors into a lot in a childs development, you may want to check into that aspect as well. Don't give up I know it can seem overwhelming at times,but just think of him and how much you love him and that you are doing this to help him. Good luck and just think about getting all the info you can and fight for what is best for your little man.

Good morning S.,
Early intervention is better than no intervention. Better for your son get the helps he needs now, then to be older and have self-esteem issues, b/c he may ot be aware of it now but as he get older, he will--if you let it go.
Hope all goes well

Hi S.. I wouldn't worry about his self esteem from not realizing he has a speech disorder. He's about to enter school, where other kids will notice this and if it's not corrected, they will point it out and perhaps not so nicely and that will not do well for his self esteem. He will become aware of it because other children may tease him. Please don't subject your child to this, school isn't the safe and kind world of mommy and daddy.

You say some days the stuttering is worse then other days.

I would mark down the time, date, situation involved in, and the level of stuttering at the time....after awhile you might see a pattern in your notes..

From the pattern you might be able to be helpful in giving some support. For an example, if the pattern shows that the level of stuttering gets worse during a stressful time, you can calm him, tell him everythings ok, slow down, or even remove him from the stressful situation. If it helps or not, mark down how you handle it and the results.
When you talk to the speech therapist in Sept...It might be helpful to share those notes with her...

I'm not sure what is best in terms of bringing it to his attention and his self esteem. But I do know once he is in kindergarden there is always the chance of another child who will poke fun of him and this can be a hit to his self esteem.
Sept. isn't far off, when he starts working with a speech therapist he will realize the problem then. My feeling is it might be best for him to hear it from you in a loving caring way so there's no surprises for him at school. I would think the more he knows he is loved and excepted at home, it might it easier for him at school. Either way every situation has to be delt with as it happens. He's going to have inner feelings about it and will need your support....
It's a hard decission and would be interesting to see what the other Mom's here will suggest about this....

Do keep us posted on what you decide and how it goes....

Hi S.,
My son went through speech therapy during elementary school. He always talked funny since he started to speak and he wasn't diagnosed when he had screening before he started kinder and I remember feeling odd that they didn't put him in speech therapy class. I think he started speech therapy in first or second grade Anyway, he talked funny and we didn't make taboo to mention. It's a part of life and I don't think you have to be too much worry about his self-esteem. I took it as a matter of fact. Sometimes we had a moment to joke about his way of talking. Now he is 11 years old and he doesn't have problem any more. Things happens in life and I think it's better deal objectively and focus on the job (going through therapy without worrying about too much other things.)

S.,
My daughter is four years old and she recently say 4mths ago started speech. She loves going there and the assistance and guidance that I recieve from the speech pathologist is a god-send. I explained or tried to explaing the concept of speech therapy to my daughter I'm not sure she got it but I know that she know's it helps her. I acknowledge and support her in every way possible. I encourage her and I always let her know how smart I think she is. For my daughter it's the only way I could have gone in order to build a strong foundation. Remind your son that's it just an extra hand and how special he must be to have an extra set of hands to help him out. Constantly praise his academic sucessess and let him know how great you think he is there is nothing that can take that away from him. I can only give advice since you asked and my advice is to get him the extra help he needs.

Our son started stuttering at 2 1/2(when he started talking). We were told the same thing , that he will grow out.He is now 3 1/2 and stutter comes and goes.(last time it was 6 months ago and now it is back). Our son is aware of it though, he puts his hand over his mouth and gets mad.We just had him evaluated a week ago and the crazy thing, he did not stutter AT ALL during it.We were told that his speech is on the level of a 5 year old, and he is advanced in other areas......but said nothing on the stutter. It would not hurt to get him evaluated, we just did not get any answers.(but again at 5 it is different)

Hi S.,

At age 4 I took my son to speech therapy because he couldn't annunicate his words correctly enough for anyone besides his family to understand him. I went to a private speech therapist at St. Johns University in Queens NY. I tried to go through the school and they would not offer it to him because they felt he should have a learning disablilty also. I would recommend some where private and let your son know that his speech is going to improve not that he has a problem. The therapist made it so fun for my son he thought it was recreation and took so much pride in the help. He's now 7 and any time he cannot say a word correctly he uses a technique that was taught to him through therapy he takes his time to say the word correctly. And after only 3 months of therapy he began to grow out of it slightly. So it was the help plus his growth.

If he doesnt stutter all the time, try to keep a record of when he does stutter. Then gently teach him to cope with whatever circumstances cause the stuttering, without mentioning his speech. If he's excited tell him to slow down, if he's angry tell him to count to 10..etc.

Definitely check with your pediatrician...while all of us mamasource moms love to help and offer advice, I feel questions like this which are so specific to your child should be directed to your physician...

My daughter received ST for 10 months...(she had articulation issues, not stuttering). She did wonderfully...All my resources advised me to get her the help before she started Kind.
But, all kids are different.

Best wishes to you and your son!
J.

As an ex-bully, I would do the speech therapy thing. Kids are very cruel from someone who is different and with a stutter your son is likely to be singled out early, because stuttering is obvious. But pay attention to the days when he stutters. Did he not get enough sleep and is he over tired. Is his schedule off. Is he over excited and rushing to speak. Try getting him to slow down and pay attention to what he is saying. Tell him to speak slowly and clearly. Have him pay attention to how he speaks on the days when he's having trouble.