It can be quite difficult for a fluent person to know the best form of approach when they meet or get to know a person that has a stutter. I remember seeing and feeling the discomfort that people had when they heard me stutter over a certain word (usually a word beginning with b, d or g). I had this form of speech impediment for 18 years - up until the age of twenty-two. I am now approaching my thirty-seventh birthday and have been able to enjoy the last fifteen years as a fluent person. In this article I will be providing advice as to the best ways that a fluent person can help a person that has a stutter/stammer.
1. Be patient.
In the world we live in today patience is most certainly a virtue - the pace of life has become so quick. But please give the person who has the speech impediment the time to get their point across. The amount of people that used to just put the phone down on me, thinking perhaps that I was a crank caller, was just ridiculous.
2. Do not say the word for them.
There is nothing more infuriating for the major of people who stutter than people who attempt to speak for them.
3. Educate yourself into the affects of stuttering
Most people, including the majority of speech and language therapists, have a lack of understanding of just what life is like for people who have a stutter/stammer. There are however many resources and high quality websites on the internet that can help one to understand the effects of stuttering a little better.
4. Ask them how they are truly feeling
Yes why not? Ask the person if there is any way that you can help and just be there for them. Your support could well be crucial.
Steve Hill is a specialist stuttering therapy coach from the UK, he runs a one to one stuttering speech course to help people to achieve fluency.
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