Why stuttering matters for school aged children.
Most children who have a stutter are already acutely aware that their speech sounds are different to the other children at school.
Stuttering can have a significant impact on a child’s confidence, participation at school and their social interactions.
What is the impact of leaving a person to continue stuttering?
By the time a student reaches year 3 or 4, they have often developed complex emotional responses like avoiding specific words or staying silent during class discussions.
As this happens supporting fluency becomes more complex, so the next practical step for most families is deciding which therapy approaches would be most effective.
What the latest evidence says about stuttering.
A review by Johnson et al. (2023), examined current research on treatments for school age children who stutter.
The research found that unlike early childhood stuttering where parent led interventions are often highly effective, school age children need more direct, structured support.
The researchers focused on how well different treatments reduced stuttering frequency and improved communication outcomes.
This research indicates that structured therapy is highly effective for this age group, providing important insights into what works best.
The research highlights that it is never too late to seek support for school aged child who stutter. Although preschoolers who stutter, see faster results, meaningful improvements are possible for older students with the right approach.
Effective Therapy for school-aged children.
Approaches that teach children to change the way they speak, often called speech restructuring or fluency shaping techniques, showed the most consistent evidence for reducing stuttering in school aged children.
These approaches may include:
- Slowing down speech
- Using smooth, controlled speech patterns
- Practising specific fluency techniques
https://perthspeechtherapy.com.au/understanding-aac-more-than-just-talking/
Research suggest that individual therapy is extremely important to older children. A one on one experience allows therapist sto work directly with your child on their specific needs, without the perceived judgement of other children.
What approaches are best for addressing a stutter?
Effective therapy may vary due to the child’s age, the severity of stuttering, the emotional and social impact.
Speech therapy should be personalised for each child to suit their level of confidence in speaking, as well as their fluency.
When a Speech Pathologists sees a child who has been struggling for years without support, the first priority is often dismantling the fear of speaking rather than just fixing the speech.
While the findings are encouraging, the review also noted that there are fewer high quality studies for school age children compared to preschoolers.
Perth Speech Therapy uses a client and family-centred approach to make sure that your child’s therapy is tailored to fit their unique needs.
All staff are trained in the Lidcombe programme which is considered gold standard to intervention for stuttering. Always remember early intervention is best.
What Can a Family do to help their school aged child?
Is a Speech Pathologist necessary?
If you have a child at school who is stuttering, a speech pathologist can administer an assessment and provide clarity on the best therapy path.
The Speech Pathologist will offer an initial consultation at either of the clinics to discuss the child’s needs.
Contact our team to book an appointment with our experienced speech pathologists.
Reference
Johnson, G., Onslow, M., Horton, S., & Kefalianos, E. (2023). Reduced stuttering for school-age children: A systematic review. Journal of fluency disorders, 78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfludis.2023.106015