Practical Thoughts Blog
May 24, 2018
What should we say to the parent of a young child who has recently started to stutter?
When a young child starts to stutter, it can be a frightening experience for parents. They may call you or email you in distress, and it's important that you know how to respond in a way that reduces their fears and helps them make appropriate decisions about whether or when to seek an evaluation and therapy.
May 19, 2018
What if my child doesn't recover?
When a child is stuttering, it is natural for parents to worry about the future. Of all the questions that they might ask, though, one of the most difficult to answer is whether the child will "outgrow" the stuttering... In this blog post, Dr. Yaruss talks about how he responds...
May 11, 2018
Do we treat speech sounds or stuttering first?
Some children who stutter do more than just stutter! In fact, many also exhibit speech sound disorders, as well. What should we do when that happens?!?
May 09, 2018
Is stuttering neurological?
Is stuttering neurological? Of course it is! In this blog post, Dr. Yaruss explains how we know that and how we can explain research findings in a way that educates others about the true nature of stuttering and supports our goals in therapy.
May 07, 2018
Why no "continuous phonation?"
Continuous phonation is often recommended as a strategy for helping people increase their fluency, but we don't use it! Nina Reeves explains why.
May 07, 2018
What if a school-age child is not aware of stuttering?
For years, clinicians have been afraid to "draw attention" to stuttering for fear that they might "create awareness" that the child stutters. But what if we need to create that awareness so that the child can address his communication difficulties?
May 05, 2018
Even More Thoughts about Secondary Characteristics...
Secondary characteristics, such as eye blinks or head movements, are a highly visible aspect of the stuttering behavior. We often need to address them in therapy, but how to do that isn't as obvious as it seems...
Apr 15, 2018
Child is stuttering? Try this one weird trick!
When clinicians learn that a young child is stuttering, there first reaction should not be to automatically recommend some name-branded therapy program. To do so is to ignore the tenets of evidence-based practice. Instead, try this...
Apr 02, 2018
Measuring adverse impact in a child whose stuttering seems to be "mild"
Stuttering is more than just stuttering, and measuring the impact of stuttering involves more than just counting the number of stuttering events a person exhibits. To truly understand the speaker's experience, we need to measure adverse impact.
Mar 17, 2018
“I want to dismiss him, but the parents are worried!”
What do we do when the child is ready for dismissal, but the parents aren't? In this blog post, Dr. Yaruss explains how we can help parents recognize the important gains that their children have made in therapy.
Mar 10, 2018
What percentage of stuttering behavior is normal?
For years, researchers and clinicians have debated just how much stuttering behavior a child can exhibit before the behavior is not considered "normal." This blog post seeks to turn that argument on its head.
Mar 05, 2018
How young is too young for stuttering treatment?
When a young child starts to stutter, it is important for parents and clinicians to take appropriate action at the right time. But what if the child is still very young? This blog post addresses the age-old question of "how old" a child needs to be before we can start treatment.
