SpeechEasy: Merging Technology with Techniques

Parent Information

Family involvement is an important element in helping your child become a more successful communicator. There are many tips for parents online that will help explain the do's and don'ts when helping your child with their stuttering. Many of these sites will offer suggestions like:

• Model a good rate of speech for your child.
• Keep eye contact with your child.
• Do not interrupt and/or finish their sentences for them.

While these tips are helpful when talking about stuttering in general, we would like to offer some more specific ideas for those who have a child using SpeechEasy.

• Acknowledge to your child your understanding of the degree of focus and attention required to interact with the signal.
• Frequently praise them for the time and effort they are expending.
• Catch them speaking fluently and make positive comments.
• Avoid reminding them when they are disfluent ... they are very aware of these times.
• Help them schedule specific daily practice times.
• Allow them to take breaks from wearing the device if necessary. Forcing them to wear it may only lead to more complications (power struggles) in the future.
• Keep in mind that they need to be the ones motivated to wear the device. This is one way to help ensure that they are putting the necessary energy and effort into changing their speech patterns.
• Make sure they are part of the decision making process. This will help to instill pride and ownership over their new found fluency.
• Learn the same techniques they are learning so that you are aware of what they are trying to accomplish. By understanding their treatment, you are better able to guide and assist them along the way.
• Be a part of their treatment. Help them through their workbook—and understand (and help explain) the process.