Help for stuttering available at Mandan library
Parents eagerly anticipate the moment when their child first begins to talk. But for some parents it is a time of anxiety because their child struggles to get words out. As many as 5 percent of preschool children nationwide have repetitions and prolongations of sounds severe enough to be of concern to their parents.
The DVD in English and Spanish, “Stuttering and Your Child: Help for Parents,” helps parents detect stuttering and take action toward helping their child and is available at the Morton Mandan Public Library.
Produced by the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation, the film describes what kinds of stuttering young children may exhibit, how parents can help at home, and the role of a speech pathologist in evaluating and treating children who stutter.
Strategies parents can use to help reduce stuttering are given throughout the DVD and include reducing the number of questions they ask the child, focusing on taking turns during conversations, and making time to read or talk with the child in a relaxed manner.