| Does your child have a speech impediment? Does | | | | the speech problems that I had when I was |
| your child have a stutter? Are you looking to find | | | | younger. |
| out what types of stuttering therapies are | | | | Many children who develop a stutter will simply |
| available for children? I am fully aware of just | | | | grow out of it as they become older and more |
| how damaging life can be for people who have a | | | | confident. Unfortunately some children will continue |
| stutter; this is due to the fact that I had a stutter | | | | to stutter into their adult lives, as was the case |
| for eighteen years. I have now been fluent for | | | | with me. I have recently read a report which |
| the last twelve years and became a father | | | | stated that nearly one percent of the adult |
| myself, for the first time, seven years ago. I am | | | | population in the UK have this form of speech |
| now trying to ensure that my son will not develop | | | | impediment. |
| a stutter. | | | | What types of treatments are available for |
| It took me nearly a year to manage to eradicate | | | | children who have developed a stutter? This is a |
| my own stuttering problem. During this period I | | | | question which I am asked on a daily basis. There |
| learnt a lot about all things to do with speech and | | | | is of course traditional speech therapy via a local |
| about why people do in fact stutter. This | | | | speech therapist and there are also group speech |
| knowledge eventually led me to being able to | | | | therapy classes in certain areas. I personally |
| achieve fluency and will also help me to keep a | | | | believe that for most children, especially children |
| check on how my son is speaking. As soon as I | | | | who are under the age of twelve, that some |
| notice that he is not talking or breathing in the | | | | form of home self-help therapy could be the |
| correct way, I am quick to advise him on where | | | | most beneficial. This is where the child can learn |
| he is going wrong. This may seem a little bit over | | | | about and practice speech therapy techniques in |
| the top but it is done in a fun way. My son is | | | | the comfort of their own home. |
| nearly eight years of age and is fully aware of | | | | |