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These FAQs are provided by The Stuttering Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has been an extraordinary resource for research materials related to the potential etiology and best practice for stuttering since its establishment in 1947. In addition, the Stuttering Foundation has supported the advancement of clinical expertise in stuttering as well as the doctoral studies of many researchers across the nation including the Director of the Lang Stuttering Institute.

What is stuttering?

Stuttering is a communication disorder in which the flow of speech is broken by repetitions (li-li-like this), prolongations (lllllike this), or abnormal stoppages (no sound) of sounds and syllables. There may also be unusual facial and body movements associated with the effort to speak. Stuttering is also referred to as stammering.

What causes stuttering?

There are four factors most likely to contribute to the development of stuttering: genetics (approximately 60% of those who stutter have a family member who does also); child development (children with other speech and language problems or developmental delays are more likely to stutter); neurophysiology (recent neurological research has shown that people who stutter process speech and language slightly differently than those who do not stutter); and family dynamics (high expectations and fast-paced lifestyles can contribute to stuttering). Stuttering may occur when a combination of factors comes together and may have different causes in different people. It is probable that what causes stuttering differs from what makes it continue or get worse.

Is stuttering caused by emotional or psychological problems?

Children and adults who stutter are no more likely to have psychological or emotional problems than children and adults who do not. There is no reason to believe that emotional trauma causes stuttering.

How many people stutter?

More than 68 million people worldwide stutter, which is about 1% of the population. In the United States, that's over 3 million Americans who stutter.

What is the ratio of males to females who stutter?

Stuttering affects four times as many males as females.

How many children stutter?

Approximately 5 percent of all children go through a period of stuttering that lasts six months or more. Three-quarters of those will recover by late childhood, leaving about 1% with a long-term problem. The best prevention tool is early intervention.

How is stuttering diagnosed?

Stuttering is usually diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), a health professional who is trained to test and treat individuals with voice, speech, and language disorders. The speech-language pathologist will consider a variety of factors, including the child's case history (such as when the stuttering was first noticed and under what circumstances), an analysis of the child's stuttering behaviors, and an evaluation of the child's speech and language abilities and the impact of stuttering on his or her life.

When evaluating a young child for stuttering, a speech-language pathologist will try to predict if the child is likely to continue his or her stuttering behavior or outgrow it. To determine this difference, the speech-language pathologist will consider such factors as the family's history of stuttering, whether the child's stuttering has lasted six months or longer, and whether the child exhibits other speech or language problems.

I think my child is beginning to stutter. Should I wait or seek help?

It is best to seek ways that you, the parents, can help as soon as possible. For ways to help immediately visit stutteringhelp.org. If the stuttering persists beyond three to six months or is particularly severe, you may want to seek help from a speech-language pathologist who specializes in stuttering right away. See the referral information listings by state or country.

Can stuttering be treated?

Yes, there are a variety of successful approaches for treating both children and adults. In general, the earlier, the better is good advice.

How is stuttering treated?

Although there is currently no cure for stuttering, there are a variety of treatments available. The nature of the treatment will differ, based upon a person's age, communication goals, and other factors. If you or your child stutters, it is important to work with a speech-language pathologist to determine the best treatment options.

For very young children, early treatment may prevent developmental stuttering from becoming a lifelong problem. Certain strategies can help children learn to improve their speech fluency while developing positive attitudes toward communication. Health professionals generally recommend that a child be evaluated if he or she has stuttered for three to six months, exhibits struggle behaviors associated with stuttering, or has a family history of stuttering or related communication disorders. Some researchers recommend that a child be evaluated every three months to determine if the stuttering is increasing or decreasing. Treatment often involves teaching parents about ways to support their child's production of fluent speech. Parents may be encouraged to:

* Provide a relaxed home environment that allows many opportunities for the child to speak. This includes setting aside time to talk to one another, especially when the child is excited and has a lot to say.

* Refrain from reacting negatively when the child stutters. Instead, parents should react to the stuttering as they would any other difficulty the child may experience in life. This may involve gentle corrections of the child's stuttering and praise for the child's fluent speech.

* Be less demanding on the child to speak in a certain way or to perform verbally for people, particularly if the child experiences difficulty during periods of high pressure.

* Speak in a slightly slowed and relaxed manner. This can help reduce time pressures the child may be experiencing.

* Listen attentively when the child speaks and wait for him or her to say the intended word. Don't try to complete the child's sentences. Also, help the child learn that a person can communicate successfully even when stuttering occurs.

* Talk openly and honestly to the child about stuttering if he or she brings up the subject. Let the child know that it is okay for some disruptions to occur.

Stuttering therapy

Many of the current therapies for teens and adults who stutter focus on learning ways to minimize stuttering when they speak, such as by speaking more slowly, regulating their breathing, or gradually progressing from single-syllable responses to longer words and more complex sentences. Most of these therapies also help address the anxiety a person who stutters may feel in certain speaking situations.

Drug therapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any drug for the treatment of stuttering. However, some drugs that are approved to treat other health problems-such as epilepsy, anxiety, or depression-have been used to treat stuttering. These drugs often have side effects that make them difficult to use over a long period of time. In a recent study funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), researchers concluded that drug therapy has been largely ineffective in controlling stuttering. Clinical trials of other possible drug treatments are currently under way.

Electronic devices

Some people who stutter use electronic devices to help control fluency. For example, one type of device fits into the ear canal, much like a hearing aid, and digitally replays a slightly altered version of the wearer's voice into the ear so that it sounds as if he or she is speaking in unison with another person. In some people, electronic devices help improve fluency in a relatively short period of time. Nevertheless, questions remain about how long such effects may last and whether people are able to easily use these devices in real-world situations. For these reasons, researchers are continuing to study the long-term effectiveness of these devices.

Self-help groups

Many people find that they achieve their greatest success through a combination of self-study and therapy. Self-help groups provide a way for people who stutter to find resources and support as they face the challenges of stuttering.

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These FAQs are provided by The Stuttering Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has been an extraordinary resource for research materials related to the potential etiology and best practice for stuttering since its establishment in 1947.

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What can caregivers do/say when their child is stuttering or cluttering? 

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What can caregivers do/say when their child is stuttering or cluttering? 

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1. Nothing (patiently listen)
2. Pay attention to the message, not the stuttering
3. "I have plenty of time for listening" *if and when appropriate*
4. Create an atmosphere of acceptance of stuttering

Adapted from Stuttering Therapy Resources

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• Provide a relaxed home environment that allows many opportunities for the child to speak. This includes setting aside time to talk to one another, especially when the child is excited and has a lot to say.

• Refrain from reacting negatively when the child stutters. Instead, parents should react to the stuttering as they would any other difficulty the child may experience in life. This may involve gentle corrections of the child’s stuttering and praise for the child’s fluent speech.

• Be less demanding on the child to speak in a certain way or to perform verbally for people, particularly if the child experiences difficulty during periods of high pressure. This includes refraining from telling your child to slow down, breathe, try again, or reminders to use strategies.

• Speak in a slightly slowed and relaxed manner. This can help reduce time pressures the child may be experiencing.

• Listen attentively when the child speaks and wait for him or her to say the intended word. Don't try to complete the child’s sentences. Also, help the child learn that a person can communicate successfully even when stuttering occurs.

• Talk openly and honestly to the child about stuttering if he or she brings up the subject. Let the child know that it is okay for some disruptions to occur.

Adapted from The Michael & Tami Lang Stuttering Institute

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People who stutter are normal, they just have difficulty producing sounds and words fluently. The more we understand stuttering, the better we can educate others about it. The NSA ® has partnered with leading stuttering specialists and researchers to provide accurate information about stuttering. Here are a few facts about stuttering:

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Facts About Stuttering - National Stuttering Association

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People who stutter are normal, they just have difficulty producing sounds and words fluently. The more we understand stuttering, the better we can educate others about it. The NSA ® has partnered with leading stuttering specialists and researchers to provide accurate information about stuttering.

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What Is Stuttering?

Stuttering is a difference in speech pattern involving disruptions, or "disfluencies," in a person's speech. The word "stuttering" can be used to refer either to the specific speech disfluencies commonly produced by people who stutter or to the overall communication difficulty that people who stutter may experience.

In addition to producing disfluencies, people who stutter often experience physical tension and struggle in their speech muscles, as well as embarrassment, anxiety, and fear about speaking. Together, these symptoms can make it very difficult for people who stutter to speak, and this makes it difficult for them to communicate effectively with others. There are as many different patterns of stuttering as there are people who stutter, and many different degrees of stuttering, from mild to severe.

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Stuttering Explained - National Stuttering Association

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Stuttering is a difference in speech pattern involving disruptions, or "disfluencies," in a person's speech. The word "stuttering" can be used to refer either to the specific speech disfluencies commonly produced by people who stutter or to the overall communication difficulty that people who stutter may experience.

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Get outdoors with your preschooler and have fun with water! When you play with water 'the Hanen Way', you encourage your preschooler to learn new words and concepts, engage in conversation, and share with other children.
Read More

Summer is here and it's time to have fun with water! Find out how you can use water play to stimulate your toddler's senses, and encourage him to communicate, imagine, socialize, and experiment.
Read More

Preschoolers (aged 2 ½ to 5 years) enjoy books in many different ways. Find out how you can share books with your preschooler to encourage her interest in books, learn new words, ideas and concepts that stimulate her imagination, and start understanding and enjoying stories - and all while having fun together!
Read More

Toddlers (aged 18 months - 2 ½ years) have figured out what books are all about, but may or may not be ready to hear a whole story. Find out how you can share books with your toddler to help her develop an interest in books, learn new words, and have back-and-forth interactions - and all while having fun together!
Read More

Find out how you can use songs to build your toddler's social, cognitive and communication development while the two of you connect and have fun together!

Singing with your toddler 'The Hanen Way' means giving her opportunities to participate so that she can learn new words and build her confidence and turn-taking skills...
Read More

Find out how you can use songs to build your baby's social, cognitive and communication development while the two of you connect and have fun together!

When you sing with your baby 'The Hanen Way', you turn the song into a little "conversation" between you and your baby by creating opportunities for him to participate using sounds and gestures...

When preschoolers (2½ - 5 years of age) play with playdough it stimulates their senses, while offering an opportunity to use their imaginations. Furthermore, the possibilities for conversation and interaction are endless! Read on to learn how to havefun with playdough 'The Hanen Way'!
Read More

Toddlers (18 months - 2½ years) love to explore how objects and materials feel and the many different things they can do with these objects and materials. These "sensory" experiences help develop connections in toddlers' brains and provide opportunities for cognitive, language and motor skills to grow.

Playing with your child 'The Hanen Way' means building in opportunities for your child to be a very active participant in the play.
Read More

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Language-building Activities to Use with Preschoolers - Fun With Hanen

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Get outdoors with your preschooler and have fun with water! When you play with water 'the Hanen Way', you encourage your preschooler to learn new words and concepts, engage in conversation, and share with other children. Read More Summer is here and it's time to have fun with water!

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Great for drill practice at home! Model the correct production, then have your child say the words at least 3 times each.

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Mommy Speech Therapy - Thoughts on speech & language development

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Helpful documents and activities for you to download to help you work with your child in different areas of their speech

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Typical speech and language development in children

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Typical speech and language development in children

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Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem.

Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old.

Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

Find out more about child speech and language...

Speech Disorders

Language Disorders

Early Detection

Medical and Developmental Conditions

Communication Options

Additional Resources

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Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem. Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem.

Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old.

Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

Find out more about child speech and language...

Speech Disorders

Language Disorders

Early Detection

Medical and Developmental Conditions

Communication Options

Additional Resources

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Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem. Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem.

Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old.

Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

Find out more about child speech and language...

Speech Disorders

Language Disorders

Early Detection

Medical and Developmental Conditions

Communication Options

Additional Resources

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Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem. Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

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Video: Stuttering and Your Child: Help for Parents

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Video: Stuttering and Your Child: Help for Parents

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Stuttering Foundation: A Nonprofit Organization Helping Those Who Stutter

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Stuttering And Your Child: Help For Parents

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Typical speech and language development in children

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Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem.

Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old.

Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

To find an SLP near you, visit ProFind.

Find out more about child speech and language...

Speech Disorders

Language Disorders

Early Detection

Medical and Developmental Conditions

Communication Options

Additional Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most children develop speech and language skills within a specific age range. A child who takes longer to learn a skill may have a problem. Learn more about what to expect from your child from birth to 5 years old. Speech-language pathologists, or SLPs, can help your child.

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Stuttering Resources (Printable) - National Stuttering Association

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Stuttering Foundation: A Nonprofit Organization Helping Those Who Stutter

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Scattegories- This game allows for practice of naming items in categories. Rapid naming tasks such as these help build and strengthen connections in the brain to connect concepts and ideas.
Hedbanz- This game is great to focus on a variety of language goals! It includes such tasks as describing, asking/answering questions, and vocabulary. To add difficulty, make your own cards- you can add such things as famous people, family members, school subjects, body parts, countries/states, animals, etc.
Apples to Apples Jr.- This game is perfect to focus on skills such as word relationships, describing, comparing/contrasting, and vocabulary.
Guess Who- This is a great game to work on reasoning, describing, asking/answering questions, and vocabulary.
Rory's Story Cubes- These cubes allow you to build your own stories, so you can focus on such things as grammar, building vocabulary, expanding sentences, telling a story in the appropriate sequence, and so much more! For extra practice, write down the stories that you create, and have your child draw pictures to go along with it.

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Stuttering Foundation: A Nonprofit Organization Helping Those Who Stutter

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Any time is a good time to help your child learn language and literacy skills! Hanen Tips for Parents can help you turn any activity you do with your child into an opportunity to build his skills - and to have fun while you're doing it!

All Hanen tips are based on current research which shows that parents have the power to boost their children's language and literacy development when they:

Hanen Tips for Parents are divided into three sections based on particular stages of language development, so choose the option below that best describes what your child is doing now.

Tips for parents of young children who communicate without words

These tips are for parents of children who communicate using a combination of sounds, gestures (e.g. pointing, shaking head for "no", waving "bye") and eye gaze (looking at you and then at what he is "talking" about). These children are sending clear messages, just not with words.

Tips for parents of children who have just started talking

These tips are for parents of children who have started to use single words or who have started to put two words together (e.g. "dog" or "Mommy go")

Tips for parents of children who talk in sentences

These tips are for parents of children who talk in sentences consisting of a few or many words.

The most important part of using Hanen tips is to have fun with your child!

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Any time is a good time to help your child learn language and literacy skills! Hanen Tips for Parents can help you turn any activity you do with your child into an opportunity to build his skills - and to have fun while you're doing it!

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Welcome to the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI, pronounced "you fly"). UFLI is an ongoing effort by UF faculty, students, and staff to improve literacy outcomes for children learning to read.

The work of UFLI focuses on two main areas: teacher development and reader development. The place where those two overlap ... that is where the work of UFLI lives. Our programs and resources are designed to help teachers become more confident and more successful in their capacity to help kids learn to read. We do this through:

Academic programs for both pre-service and practicing educators to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective reading teachers

Professional learning opportunities to help classroom reading teachers, instructional coaches, and school leaders expand their knowledge, enhance their teaching practices, and build capacity in their schools

Resources for teachers, parents, and teacher educators to use in their reading instruction

Much, much more!

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UF Literacy Institute | Where teacher development and reader development overlap

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Welcome to the University of Florida Literacy Institute (UFLI, pronounced "you fly"). UFLI is an ongoing effort by UF faculty, students, and staff to improve literacy outcomes for children learning to read. The work of UFLI focuses on two main areas: teacher development and reader development. The place where those two overlap ...

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Division of Early Learning - Early Learning and Developmental Standards

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Helping your child become a better reader

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Helping your child become a better reader

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reading skills; parent participation; early childhood education; early reading; learning activities; reading strategies; vocabulary development

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Helping Your Child Become a Reader includes information about why and how to use language skills (talking and listening, reading, and writing)to help young children grow into readers. Everyday activities you can do to encourage your child's love of reading and strengthen language skills are also provided.

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The final step in speech therapy is to generalize speech skills into daily conversation. Here are some fun ways you can help your child meet their goals and graduate:

Use the phrase “Use your good speech” to remind your child you are listening for correct articulation.

Come up with a secret signal (such as touching your chin, or tugging your ear) to remind your child to use good speech.

Tongue Twisters and Silly Rhymes- The faster the better, it builds muscle memory and speech stamina.

Use good speech for 3-5 minutes while telling about something that happened during the day. You can talk about the best and worst thing that happened.

Make silly videos to watch and rate how their speech sounds. Children love to make videos- have them watch some they have already made and rate their speech.

When doing homework, ask your child to focus on using good speech while reading directions out loud, practicing spelling words, or reciting math facts.

Any time you are in the car is a great time to strike up a conversation and listen for good speech.

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Fantastic family resource!

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My Autism Navigator is a companion to our Autism Navigator How-To Guide for Families online course. Our How-To Guide course is to help you get started right away learning intervention strategies to use in your everyday activities to support your child's learning and development.

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The Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD)

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The Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD) provides support and assistance with the goal of optimizing the potential of people with autism spectrum disorder and related disabilities.

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In this section, you'll find helpful tips and information for supporting the communication development of young children on the autism spectrum - all while connecting and having fun together! Use the links below to jump to a specific section:

Or, learn more about Hanen programs and resources.

Build Your Child's Communication Skills - All Day Long

As a parent, you know your child best. You know they have special strengths, abilities and interests. You're also aware of the people, places and things that make them comfortable, as well as those things to which they're most sensitive. As for your child, they are likely most at ease - and therefore most open to communicating - around the most important people in their lives and in the environments they're most familiar with.

This puts you, the parent, in the best possible position to encourage your child to learn new communication skills. Studies show that when parents interact with their children in specific ways that motivate, encourage and support their child's communication, they can make a significant difference to their child's social and communication development.

By taking advantage of the routines and activities you already do every day with your child, you can help them learn many important skills that will enable them to better connect with others.

Take a look at these helpful articles for tips and ideas on encouraging communication in children with autism:

Let's Look at a Hanen Strategy: "Include Your Child's Interests"

Imagine that your child is playing with a toy train set on his own and you want to get involved and interact with him. When you use the Include Your Child's Interests strategy from our More Than Words® program, you can! Including your child's interests motivates him to interact with you, making it the perfect first step to getting an interaction going. Just keep these steps in mind as you play:

Step #1

First, observe your child closely to see exactly what he is doing.

Step #2

Then, imitate what he's doing. If he is pushing a train along one part of the track, grab another train and push it along another part of the track.
Or, you can get involved by helping him with what he is doing. For example, you can hand him new pieces he can add to the track to make it longer or more interesting.

Step #3

Finally, comment on what your child is doing and point to it, making it sound exciting. If he adds another car to his train, say "Wow. Now your train is so big!"

That's all it takes to make a good start. Just remember to use the strategy during the things you usually do during the day.

For more tips and ideas, take a look at these tips and articles:

The Power of Parent-implemented Intervention

At The Hanen Centre, we have led the way in parent-implemented intervention - where parents are an essential part of their child's intervention.
It's important to remember that intervention always involves a therapist. To best help your child, we recommend that you work with a speech-language professional - someone who can guide and coach you, so that when you are with your child, you know which strategies to use and how to best use them. This way, intervention is ongoing and becomes part of every interaction with your child.
Find out more in our article Parents as "Speech Therapists": What a New Study Shows.

Read our articles on some studies about parent training and autism:

If you're ready to go further, here's how Hanen can help

If you're ready to take the first step towards parent-implemented intervention, check out everything we can offer parents of children with autism or social communication difficulties.

Parent Programs

These programs, run by Hanen-certified speech-language pathologists, give you the tools you need to help your child reach his fullest communication potential.

Want to take a Hanen Program ®? Let us know, and we can connect you with a speech-language pathologist in your area.

Guidebooks and DVDs

While intervention can only happen when you work with a qualified professional, these guidebooks and DVDs can help you make the most of your child's early learning potential, with beautifully illustrated examples of our strategies and videos that bring the strategies to life.

Are you a professional?

Our e-Seminars give insights on specific topics related to working with children on the autism spectrum - and they're worth ASHA CEUs or professional development hours.

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Building Communication in Children with Autism

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In this section, you'll find helpful tips and information for supporting the communication development of young children on the autism spectrum - all while connecting and having fun together! Use the links below to jump to a specific section: Or, learn more about Hanen programs and resources.

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Pretend play is a critical part of children's development. When a child pretends to be a chef stirring soup or an astronaut going to the moon, he's building many different skills, including:

Language skills

Social and emotional skills

Problem-solving and thinking skills

What the research says about pretend play

In young children with autism, studies have shown that:

better pretend play skills at age 3 and 4 are linked to better language skills at ages 8 and 9.

the more varied and flexible a young child's pretend play, the more advanced his thinking skills are at ages 8 and 9.

Children with autism or social communication difficulties often do not pretend as often as other children, and when they do, their play tends to be less complex. So adults must take some extra steps to provide them with the opportunities and encouragement they need to learn.

Helping your child learn to pretend

There's a lot you can do to encourage your child to develop his pretend play skills. Here are a few things to think about to help you get started:

Observe how your child is playing now

Is he using toys in "expected" or intended ways?
If your child is using toys in the way they were intended to be used (for example, stacking rings or banging a toy drum) and he's combining many different actions together (for example, putting a toy car on top of a car ramp, pushing a lever to make the car speed down, and then putting the car back on top of the ramp) then your child has already developed advancedfunctional play skills. This is the stage at which children are ready to learn to pretend. Your child can now learn to pretend using real objects or miniature objects in "expected" ways - for example, he can learn to brush a doll's hair with a comb, or pretend to be a doctor using a toy doctor's kit.

Tip!

If you feel your child may not be ready for pretend play yet, visit the Hanen Autism Corner for other tips and information for how you can encourage your child's learning during everyday activities.

Does he already pretend with realistic objects?
For example, does he pretend to comb a doll's hair with a real brush or give a doll a drink with a miniature tea cup? If so, he's ready for you to help him expand his pretend play skills byadding more pretend actions to create a sequence - for example, giving the doll a drink and then wiping its mouth with a cloth. And when your child is already pretending with a sequence of actions, you can help him pretend with invisible objects (for example, holding his empty hand up to his ear to talk on a "phone") and substitute one object for another (for example, pretending a banana is a phone or a book is a birthday cake).

Observe how your child is playing now

To encourage your child to pretend, you need to get his attention by joining in the play he's already doing.

Observe your child as he plays - Make sure you take the time to observe exactly what your child is doing and how he's pretending. That way, you can include his interests when you join in the play.

Join in by imitating your child with your own toy - For example, if he is "feeding" a teddy bear with a spoon (an early stage of pretend play), you can get your own stuffed animal and spoon and do the same thing. Remember to make a comment, like, "Look, you're feeding Mr. Bear and I'm feeding Mr. Rabbit!" This will get his attention! Then you can interact with one another by going back and forth feeding your toy animals.

Show your child a new pretend play action

Now that you have your child's attention, show him how to extend his pretend play by adding a new action to make a sequence. For example, if he has a toy kitchen set, you can help him learn to pretend to make soup for his bear before feeding it to him. Model the action by pretending to stir soup in a pot for your stuffed rabbit, making sure to comment at the same time: "Look, I'm making soup for Mr. Rabbit to eat" (as you "stir" the soup with a toy spoon). "He's very hungry!"

Give your child a chance to copy the new pretend action

Once you've shown your child the action, wait expectantly to see what he'll do. Waiting patiently, without saying anything, is the best cue you can give your child to tell him it's his turn to do something. If your child doesn't copy your action by making soup for his own bear, you can give him other cues, like:

Showing him again - repeat the new action many times, commenting as you do it, to help your child understand.

Telling him what to do while pointing - point to the toy pot and spoon and say, "Mr. Bear is still hungry! Make him some soup."

Using hand over hand help - you can take your child's hand and help him stir the soup in the pot, commenting, "Look, you're making soup for Mr. Bear!"

Make sure to keep the play fun and keep it going by feeding your bears the food you've made for them!

These ideas are from the new Hanen guidebook, Put Pretending into Your Child's Play. In this book, you'll find many more examples and tips for how you can help your child take the next step in pretend play based on his current stage and interests.
Find out more at www.hanen.org/pretendplay

The Hanen Centre is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization with a global reach. Its mission is to provide parents, caregivers, early childhood educators and speech-language pathologists with the knowledge and training they need to help young children develop the best possible language, social and literacy skills. This includes children who have or are at risk for language delays, those with developmental challenges such as autism, and those who are developing typically.
Click on the links below to learn more about how Hanen can help you help children communicate:

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Encouraging Pretend Play in Children with Social Communication Difficulties

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Promoting pretend play development is a critical part of supporting young children with autism, and parents are key players in helping their child build these skills. Here's some helpful information about why pretend play is important and what parents can do to help.

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People games are fun, physical activities that you can play with your child to help build his interaction and communication skills. These games do not include toys because you are the part of the interaction that is fun! Some examples of people games are 'peekaboo', 'tickles' or swinging in a blanket.

People games are particularly helpful for children with autism and other social communication difficulties because they provide many opportunities to build some of the key interaction skills that these children often have difficulties with. These skills include:

Connecting with others for social purposes

Paying attention to others

Copying what others do

Taking a turn in an interaction

Waiting for others to take a turn

Using sounds, actions and words as part of the game

To make the most of people games to help your child learn, you can use a research-based strategy called R.O.C.K.™ The R.O.C.K. strategy helps you make the game structured and predictable, which creates many opportunities for your child to interact with you and take a turn to keep the game going.

R.O.C.K. stands for:

Repeat what you say and do. You might have to play the game several times, using the same actions and words so that your child understands how the game works and what to expect.

This the turn that you want your child to take to keep the game going. Your child's opportunity depends on how he communicates now. What kind of turn can you expect him to take? For example, could he make a sound? Move his body? Use a word?

This is what you do to let your child know that he should take his turn. The best kinds of cues are natural ones such as stopping after you have finished the game and waiting, looking expectant so your child gets the message that he should take a turn. But, if he doesn't take his turn, you will need to give him more help, such as showing him what to do (by doing it yourself) or physically helping him.

The goal of people games is to get your child to play with you in a back-and-forth interaction that lasts a long time. This means that you take a turn by playing part of the game, then your child takes a turn and this continues many times. Turn-taking in people games is an important step towards having real conversations. The best way to keep it going is to make the game fun for your child so he'll want to continue.

R.O.C.K. During a Bouncing Game

Here is an example of how you can use R.O.C.K. in a game of bouncing your child on your knees.

Repeat - Sit face-to-face with your child as he sits on your lap. Bounce him up and down, using a fun little phrase like "Let's bounce, bounce, bounce!" Repeat the same action with the same words again and again so your child knows what to expect.

Opportunity - Decide what your child's opportunity might be in the bouncing game (do this before you play the game). What turn could he take to keep the game going? For example, you might expect him to let you know he wants you to bounce him again by bouncing his body up and down. Or, if he is starting to say words, he could say, "Buh!"

Cue - Now it's time to cue your child so he knows it's his turn. After bouncing him a number of times, stop and wait, looking expectant with an animated facial expression. This will encourage him to look at you and bounce up and down or make a sound to let you know he wants to be bounced again. If he doesn't take his turn, give him a stronger cue. For example, raise your heels off the ground as if you are ready to bounce him and say, "Let's bounce..." Then wait to see what happens. If he still doesn't take his turn, pick up from where you paused, bouncing him and finishing the line (" bounce, bounce, bounce! ") to show him the game again.

Keep the game going - As soon as he sends you a message (with a sound, a movement, a word, or a smile) that he wants to keep playing, bounce him and repeat the same words. Once he can play the game with ease, change it up. Bounce fast (For example, "Let's bounce fast!") and then switch it up and bounce slowly ("Let's bounce sloooowly!") Then ask him to choose, "Bounce fast or slow?" so he can choose which way he wants to be bounced. Or bounce him on your knees on a big bed and let him fall off gently onto the bed as you say, "Onto the bed!" Once he gets used to this game, he may be able to tell you with actions or words he wants you to let him fall onto the bed.

Other games

Here are some other ideas for people games that you might want to try. Remember to R.O.C.K during each of them to help build your child's communication skills.

Swinging in a blanket (you need two adults for this)

Chase

Lifting your child up in the air

Flying him like an airplane and crashing him onto a bed or a couch

Peekaboo

Tickles

Plan for People Play - Booklet 1 in the Make Play R.O.C.K.™ Series
If you want to find out more about the benefits of people games, how to use R.O.C.K. and other strategies to help build your child's communication skills, and how to help your child take his next step in a people game, take a look at Plan for People Play, Hanen's newest resource.

Plan For People Play offers examples of two dozen people games you can play with your child based on his sensory preferences (i.e. what kinds of sensations he enjoys). Detailed examples, illustrations, and "Game Plan" templates make it easy for you to build your child's social interaction skills while having fun with people games.
The Hanen Centre is a Canadian not-for-profit charitable organization with a global reach. Its mission is to provide parents, caregivers, early childhood educators and speech-language pathologists with the knowledge and training they need to help young children develop the best possible language, social and literacy skills. This includes children who have or are at risk for language delays, those with developmental challenges such as autism, and those who are developing typically.
Click on the links below to learn more about how Hanen can help you help children communicate:

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R.O.C.K.™ in People Games: Building Communication in Children with ASD or Social Communication Difficulties

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People games are fun, physical activities that you can play with your child to help build his interaction and communication skills. People games are particularly helpful for children with autism and other social communication difficulties because they provide many opportunities to build some of the key interaction skills that these children often have difficulties with.

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An enormous amount of learning can take place when children are involved in daily routines such as bathing, feeding, diaper changing and riding in a car - things that parents do with their children every day. These daily events are so important because they provide opportunities for repetitive learning in a natural, enjoyable yet structured way.

What do Children Learn in Routines?

Think of all the things that parents do with their children in any given day. They dress and feed them, bathe them and help them brush their teeth. It is within the context of such daily routines that a young child begins to make sense of his or her world. This involves understanding:

Learning Social Roles through Active Participation

Since there are goals in all routines, it is clear to the child what has to be done. For example, the goal of getting dressed is for the child to end up wearing his shirt, pants, socks and shoes. The goal of riding in a car is to be seated and buckled up for the ride. Each routine consists of a series of small steps, such as opening the car door, climbing into or being put into the seat, sitting on the seat and then being buckled. Some routines have special language that goes along with them - e.g., "Time to get dressed" or "Let's go for a ride."

►Encourage the child to take on a more active role

In the beginning, the parent does most of the work, such as pulling the t-shirt over the child's head or putting toothpaste on the toothbrush and brushing the child's teeth. However, as the child participates in the routine over and over with his parent, he gains confidence and his role changes. Gradually he does and says more. For example, he may even tell the parent what comes next or ask for what he needs. He may even suggest a routine (i.e. start it) or end it. As the child's active participation grows, so does his independence and self-esteem.

►The easy way isn't always the better way

It is often easier and faster for the parent to lead the child through routines. If, however, the parent always directs - e.g., giving the child juice before he asks for it, turning on the water or putting on the child's pants when he can start to learn to do it himself, the child doesn't feel that he has much impact on his world. On the other hand, if the parent waits for the child to initiate, such as letting the child try to turn on the water or squeeze toothpaste onto the toothbrush, the child begins to understand what his role as an initiator can be. This is a very powerful experience in helping a child understand that he can take another person's role or perspective, an important part of effective two-way social interaction.

By experiencing recurring responses to his behaviour - for example, getting the juice after he points to it, the child also learns that there is an appropriate way to ask for his juice. If, however, his parent misses or ignores the child's pointing, the child will seek other ways to get what he wants, perhaps by crying or trying to climb up on the counter to get the juice himself. To learn socially appropriate behaviour, the child must have repeated and successful experiences in structured social activities in which he actively participates.

Learning the Meaning of Words

When a parent takes a cup from the shelf, pours juice into it and brings it closer to the child, both child and parent share a mutual focus or a common interest. If the parent then says, "Here's your juice", she is "mapping" the word "juice" onto the object, allowing the child to begin to attach this word to some aspect of the liquid in the cup. In this brief interaction, the shared activity provides the foundation for understanding.

However, at this point, the child doesn't know whether the word "juice" refers to the cup or the liquid inside the cup or even the act of giving the cup. To learn the specific meaning of the word, the child will need many more experiences of hearing the word "juice" associated with the drink. The more times the child does something with the juice while hearing the word, the clearer the meaning will become. The key to a child's understanding is his motivation to understand, which is heightened in a situation in which he's an active participant.

Turning Routines into Opportunities for Learning

For the kind of learning described above to take place, certain conditions must be present in interactions between the child and his caregivers.

The following guidelines are helpful in building opportunities for participation and learning into routines:

Break routines into a series of small consistent steps so that there's a shared understanding of how the routine works - make sure that you conduct the routine the same way each time, saying the same things at each step to help the child become very familiar with how it works.

Be flexible - young children learn best when you follow their lead. If the child wants to roll on the bed when he's putting on his pyjamas, instead of trying to stop this behaviour, work it into the routine by saying, "First, put on your pyjamas and then you can roll on the bed." If the child sees that there is a reward for following the steps of the routine, he'll be more likely to comply. And just as much learning can take place in a playful game of rolling on the bed as in putting on pyjamas!

Label what the child is interested in at the very moment it seems to be his focus - studies show that the most important aspect of helping children learn the meaning of a word is timing. For example, if the child looks at the pizza and the adult says, "Let me get your cup", what the parent says won't help the child learn the word "pizza", which is what really interests him at that very moment.

Be creative - routines can be made out of anything that a parent and the child do together regularly. Routines can be created around planting or watering plants, changing a bandage, feeding the cat or baking cookies. The best learning opportunities are the ones that are the most interactive and the most fun.

For more than 35 years, The Hanen Centre has taken a leading role in the development of programs and resources to help parents and professionals help preschool children learn to communicate to the fullest of their potential.

For children with developmental challenges, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, routines that are carried out the same way can be a source of comfort and predictability in a confusing world. Our More than Words® guidebook and companion DVD empower parents of children with Autism to use routines to foster their child's communication development. To learn more about how these resources may be able to help you, .
Click on the links below to find out more about how Hanen can help you help children communicate:

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The Power of Using Everyday Routines to Promote Young Children's Language and Social Skills

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An enormous amount of learning can take place when children are involved in daily routines such as bathing, feeding, diaper changing and riding in a car - things that parents do with their children every day. These daily events are so important because they provide opportunities for repetitive learning in a natural, enjoyable yet structured way.

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Promote Overall Language Skills with Children with ASD

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Promote Overall Language Skills with Children with ASD

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Sorry, but we couldn’t find that page. Please double check the URL to make sure it’s correct, or try one of these pages instead:

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Phonics Studio: Free speech sound pictures

Small Talk Phonemes: Shows how each sound should be produced with the lips and mouth

Charades Articulation: Act out and describe target therapy words

Wacky Selfie Articulation: Add stickers with target sounds to a selfie

I Dare You Articulation: Practice target sounds while completing silly, kid friendly dares

What’s the Pic Artic: Practice target words while uncovering the hidden pictures

Tongue Twisters (there are multiple free apps): Practice slow clear speech with your ‘good’ sounds while repeating this silly tongue twisters

Talking Tom Cat (or any of the Talking Animal Apps): Great for auditory feedback, allowing your child to hear what they sound like

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How to Promote Your Child's Use of AAC/Assistive Technology

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How to Promote Your Child's Use of AAC/Assistive Technology

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The AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom - AssistiveWare

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The doors to the AssistiveWare Core Word Classroom are open! The Core Word Classroom is a free resource designed to support the implementation of any communication device based on core words.

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Summer is almost over and school is almost back in session. What better way to celebrate the end of the 2023 St. Johns County Library Summer Reading Program than with [...]

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Summer is almost over and school is almost back in session. What better way to celebrate the end of the 2023 St. Johns County Library Summer Reading Program than with [...]

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K12 Vocabulary Hip-Hop Videos & Lessons | Flocabulary - Flocabulary

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Build class vocabulary words with entertaining videos, printable worksheets, and comprehensive lesson plans.

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Super Duper Story Maker: Similar to Toon Tastic, this app allows you to make your own story book. Both of these apps provide great practice for language skills such as grammar, turn taking, social skills, sequencing, and vocabulary.

Mad Libs: This app is a great way to work on grammar and parts of speech. The old fashioned paper and pen version works, too!

Classify It: This app targets categories, similarities, and differences while allowing your child to learn about different animals. Various levels of difficulty.

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Social & Emotional Life Skills Lessons & Videos | Flocabulary - Flocabulary

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Build social and emotional learning skills with videos, printable worksheets, and comprehensive lesson plans.

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Play games with your PBS KIDS favorites like Curious George, Wild Kratts, Daniel Tiger and Peg + Cat!

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One of Ms. Falls' favorites!

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Six Minutes: Discover the most downloaded family audio drama in history. Eleven-year-old Holiday is pulled from the icy waters of Alaska with no memory of who she is or where she comes from. And when she begins to develop incredible abilities, she’ll soon learn she’s not alone in the world.
From Pea…

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From classic online games like chess and checkers to space and miniature golf games, kids will love these fun games. As they play kids will develop strategy, reasoning, and spatial reasoning skills.

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Games | Educational Games for Kids | Toy Theater

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Teachers & parents trust our games to be a safe place for kids to enjoy cool games like chess, checkers, reversi, Tic Tac Toe, Balloon Pop, Quest & more! Kids have so much fun, they don't even realize that they're building skills in numeracy, turn-taking, logic, & problem solving.

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Learn more about the process and steps of articulation therapy.

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Disney.com | The official home for all things Disney

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The official website for all things Disney: theme parks, resorts, movies, tv programs, characters, games, videos, music, shopping, and more!

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ABCya! • ABCya! • Learning Games and Apps for Kids

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Educational games for grades PreK through 6 that will keep kids engaged and having fun. Topics include math, reading, typing, just-for-fun logic games… and more!

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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The SAG-AFTRA Foundation's Daytime Emmy-nominated, Storyline Online, features celebrated actors reading children's books to inspire a love of reading in millions of children worldwide.

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How Else Can I Help My Child's Language Development?

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How Else Can I Help My Child's Language Development?

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Talk to yourself about what you're doing, thinking, and feeling while engaged in an activity. Let your child listen and comment.

Describe your child's actions while he or she is engaged in an activity. Talk about what you think he or she is thinking, feeling and experiencing.

Name and describe objects you are using for an activity. Use words that relate to color, size, shape and function.

Provide good speech examples. Speak in simple sentences. Model correct speech.

Talk naturally, casually. Don't over-exaggerate.

Listen to what your child has to say. Respond to questions, comments, ideas, plans, etc.

Make talking fun. Use rhymes, jingles, finger plays, make-believe games and musical activities.

Expand upon your child's language attempts. Build on what your child says. Add to it.

Read to your child often. Read cereal boxes, road signs, store advertisements, game directions, TV schedules, etc.

Ask questions. Find out how much your child knows and understands about what you're experiencing together.

MORE SPECIFICALLY...

Provide more information, not less. Keep information relevant, meaningful, contextual, and purposeful, NOT broken into meaningless parts.

Overlap information in as many ways as possible to increase repetition and help your child make needed associations.

Language addressed toward the child should be appropriate to his/her developmental level. Some comprehension problems are not obvious and can be perceived as a lack of effort or attention initially.

Use pointing, gestures and labeling to help develop relationships among concepts and words. Non verbal language is important, too!

Try to use a slower speaking rate whenever possible. Use pauses in speech to highlight important points.

Encourage your child to question what they don't understand.

Consistently check for understanding. Ask your child to repeat directions and important information back to you. Question your child specifically to see is s/he understands what is expected of him/her.

Try to reduce background noise as much as possible, especially during homework time.

Be sure you and your child are making eye contact when you speak.

Adapted from www.honeoye.org

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Great for following directions, sequencing, and vocabulary

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Advertisement. EnchantedLearning.com is a user-supported site.

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a page about color mixing to see how to combine paint to make all the colors of the r a i n b o w .
Crafts for Kids:

Click on any of the crafts to go to the instructions. Have fun!

Crafts:

Go to More Crafts

Holiday Theme Pages
Crafts, Projects, Worksheets, and Cards
(in chronological order):

BIRTHDAY
Rhymes, crafts, activities, and coloring printouts.

In 2021, Chinese New Year starts on February 12. In the Chinese calendar, it is the year 4718, and the Year of the Ox.

ONE HUNDRED DAYS OF SCHOOL

100
Crafts, activities, and printouts on the number one hundred - used to celebrate the 100th day of school.

Wonderful cards and gifts for mom. Mother's Day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May.

Juneteenth Theme Page
Juneteenth (also called Freedom Day or Emancipation Day) celebrates the emancipation of the last remaining slaves in the USA, celebrated on June 19. Although the Civil War ended on April 9, 1865, news of the victory of the Union and the enforcement of the freeing of all slaves did not reach the outlying areas of the USA for months. Some of the last of the slaves to be freed were in Galveston, Texas; they were freed on June 19, 1865, when General Gordon Granger and 2,000 Union troops arrived.

Celebrate Canada Day on July 1st.

Crafts and activities for Independence Day in the USA.

General Holiday Worksheets and Activities:

Can you figure out the names of these ten holidays? When a line connects two (or more) boxes, those boxes each contain the same letter. Holidays: Memorial Day, Martin Luther King Day, Halloween, Veteran's Day, Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, April Fool's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Thanksgiving, President's Day, Groundhog Day. Or go to the answers. Or go to a pdf file of the puzzle plus the answers.

Look up the words in the Little Explorers picture dictionary to answer the questions.

Draw three of your favorite holidays and write about each of them. Or go to Draw and Write Your 3 Favorite Holidays: Printable Worksheet a pdf of the worksheet.

Crafts for Kids:

by Jeananda Col

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Crafts for kids. Kindergarten, preschool, and elementary school crafts. Make wonderful, simple crafts with things found around the house.

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Free educational video games

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Homophone Bee | Word Choice Game

Homophone Bee is a platform game where students answer over 600 questions about homophones and word choice. Students play as a bee and fly across 50 levels. They sting through insect enemies and pollinate flowers to win. When students bump into enemy insects, they must choose the correct homophone to complete a sentence. If they get it wrong, they must start the level over again. During the course of this game, students will master choosing from common and exotic word sets and have a fun time doing it. Check it out now!

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Are you looking for reading games that are FUN and EDUCATIONAL? Look no further. Click here for FREE games to help master your reading skills.

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The Hanen Centre is a not-for-profit organization committed to promoting the best possible language, social and literacy skills in young children. We believe that parents and caregivers have the biggest influence on children's early language learning and that the best learning happens during the everyday interactions they have together.

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Customize these personalized story templates with your own pictures to help your child know what to expect in various situations!

See tips on how to use the Personalized Stories Templates.

Personalized stories currently available are:

Stay tuned for additional stories as they are developed!

Acknowledgement

Autism Speaks is proud to partner with the University of Washington READI Lab (Research in Early Autism Detection and Intervention) to provide this series. Microsoft Office also contributed to the original packaging and distribution of these the personalized stories through a content distribution partnership with Autism Speaks.

Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

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Templates for Personalized Teaching Stories | Autism Speaks

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Download teaching stories here. Use our free story templates to help your child learn what to expect in new situations.

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Listening is Cool I Can Use My Words Eye Contact or Staring (from Watson Institute) Being a good friend Noticing Friends How to Talk to My Friends (from Watson Institute) Playing with Friends (from headstartinclusion.org) Airports Bowling MiniatureGolf Movies Farm Airplane Trip Museum Disney Going to the Dentist (from iroqsea.org) Going to Wendy's (from speakingofspeech.com) Picking My Fingers (from speakingofspeech.com) What Can I Lick?

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Stuttering Foundation: A Nonprofit Organization Helping Those Who Stutter

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This material was written by Kenneth O. St. Louis, Ph.D., West Virginia University, and updated by Kathleen Scaler Scott, Ph.D., Misericordia University
How do you know if you or someone else has a cluttering problem?

Like stuttering, cluttering is a fluency disorder; but, the two disorders are not the same. Cluttering involves speech that sounds rapid, unclear and/or disorganized. The listener may hear excessive breaks in the normal flow of speech that sound like disorganized speech planning, talking too fast or in spurts, or simply being unsure of what one wants to say. By contrast, the person who stutters typically knows exactly what he or she wants to say but is temporarily unable to say it. To make matters even more confusing, since cluttering is not well known, many who clutter are described by themselves or others as "stuttering." Also, and equally confusing, cluttering may occur along with stuttering.

The most commonly agreed upon definition of cluttering represents basic criteria which all experts agree are found in all people who clutter to some degree. Under this definition, mandatory for a diagnosis of cluttering is that the speaker sounds fast to the listener at least some of the time. The concept is that even though the speaker may not be speaking faster than average, they are speaking at a rate that is too fast for their system to handle, resulting in communication breakdown. Under this definition, communication breakdown would appear in at least one of the following ways for a diagnosis of cluttering:

Excessive moments of over-coarticulation, meaning that sounds and syllables are blended together "too much" so that it can sound like all sounds are syllables are not present (e.g., speaker says "ferchly" for "fortunately").

Excessive use of "normal disfluencies," such as interjections (e.g. um, uh, er) and revisions (e.g., I would like to go-I was thinking about taking a drive).

Pauses in places not expected grammatically, often making the speech sound "jerky" or "spurty"

These fluency and rate deviations are the essential symptoms of cluttering. However, there are a number of symptoms suggested in the latter part of the above definition that may or may not be present but add support to the impression that a person is cluttering. Accordingly, the clinical picture of a typical cluttering problem would be enhanced if the person in question had any of the following:

Little or no apparent physical struggle in speaking.

Confusing, disorganized language or conversational skills.

Limited awareness of his or her fluency and rate problems.

Temporary improvement when asked to "slow down" or "pay attention" to speech (or when being recorded).

Several blood relatives who stutter or clutter.

Social or vocational problems resulting from cluttering symptoms.

Learning disability not related to reduced intelligence.

Sloppy handwriting.

Distractibility, hyperactivity, or a limited attention span.

Auditory perceptual difficulties.

How is cluttering diagnosed?
Before getting treatment, it's important that someone suspected of cluttering be diagnosed accurately. It is advisable to consult a speech-language pathologist to make the diagnosis. The assessment process involves determining if cluttering is present and differentiating it from other communication problems or other diagnoses that may cause difficulties with speech. These other problems/diagnoses, which are in addition to a speech diagnosis of cluttering, may also require contributions or reports from other professionals, such as classroom teachers, special educators, or psychologists. The evaluation should include consideration of the fluency problem, but also any co-existing speech, language, learning, and/or social problems. If the suspected clutterer is in school, it may be a good idea to get a comprehensive academic achievement test (e.g., mathematics, writing, and reading) and even an intelligence test. The diagnosis should specify whether or not cluttering is present and also what other problems are present, such as stuttering, a language disorder, or a learning disability. It is important to note that if a person who stutters also clutters, sometimes the cluttering will not be noticed until the stuttering diminishes, either on its own or from speech therapy.
How is cluttering treated?
Therapy for people who clutter generally addresses what impacts communication breakdowns the most. Ordinarily, one of the first goals of therapy is to reduce the speaking rate, although this may not be easy for the clutterer to achieve. It is common for those with cluttering to use pausing less frequently than speakers without cluttering. Therefore, one way to achieve a slower rate that is in line with what their system can handle is to insert pauses in natural places. Often the clutterer must be taught to pause deliberately. If the person is unaware of where to pause, it may be useful to write some unintelligible sentences (from a recording) that he or she has actually said, first without spaces between words and then with normal spacing. Seeing the difference can often assist in learning to find appropriate pause locations. Another technique that has been found helpful with young clutterers is to use the analogy of a speedometer wherein rapid speech is above the "speed limit" and "speeding tickets" are given for exceeding the "limit."

For some, slowing rate of speech by adding pauses is enough to increase speech clarity. For others, unclear speech still exists between the pauses. When this happens, it may also be helpful for clutterers to learn to exaggerate stressed syllables in longer words while being sure to include all the un-stressed syllables (e.g., "par·tic´·u·lar," "con·di´·tion·al," or "gen·er·o´·si·ty"). Some clutterers benefit from planning both the content (the "what") of a message as well as the delivery (the "how"). For example, the "what" can be taught as formulating the main message in key words (e.g., "Computer isn't responding. I reboot. Works again."). The "how" then focuses on filling in the appropriate details (e.g., "My computer often doesn't respond when I am trying to work on it. I restart the computer before trying again. Often, restarting helps the computer to respond properly again.")

Many cluttering symptoms are often reduced if the clutterer can achieve a slower rate that is more in line with what their system can handle. Sometimes, however, additional articulation (pronunciation) and/or language problems need to be addressed directly. One technique involves planning out what one is going to say using a specific structure (e.g., when relating a story to someone, tell about the people, place, any events and the ending). After practice, they learn to present information in such a structure more automatically when conveying information to others.

As noted, many people who clutter also stutter. And often the cluttering is covered up or masked by the stuttering. In some of these individuals, the cluttering emerges as the individual gets control of the stuttering or begins to stutter less. Yet, whether or not the clutterer also stutters (or previously stuttered), any therapy techniques that focus attention on fluency targets such as easy onset of the voice or more prolonged syllables can also help the person to manage many of the cluttering symptoms. The important thing is that the clutterer learn to pay attention to-or monitor-his or her speech and do anything that makes it easier to remember to do so. Practicing pausing and/or emphasizing all sounds and/or syllables in words even when not needed helps the person who clutters to better monitor their speech and realize sooner when a real communication breakdown has occurred.
What is the likelihood that therapy will help?
Many people who clutter are initially skeptical that therapy can help. Regardless of age, over time they come to see that learning strategies to tune in and monitor their speech can be helpful. Since most cluttering symptoms resolve through simple adjustments such as rate, prognosis for improvement is good. Motivation is a key element. Successful candidates have good reason for working hard to change, such as the likelihood of a job promotion for adults, or the likelihood that they will have to repeat themselves less for children. Therapy does take a lot of practice and monitoring, but much can be done to help those who clutter manage their cluttering.
How can I get help for cluttering?
Since cluttering is neither common nor well understood, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may express doubt about whether or not they can effectively evaluate and treat cluttering. If so, they can be referred to a number of sources of information about the disorder. (See the references on back panel.) With such information, many of these SLPs may well be willing to provide therapy for cluttering. Fortunately, most SLPs who are specialists in stuttering are also willing to evaluate and treat cluttering as well. The Stuttering Foundation can supply you with the names of individuals in your geographic area that are recognized as specialists in fluency disorders. Call toll-free 800-992-9392 or visit www.StutteringHelp.org.

Where Can I Learn More About Cluttering?

Myers, F. L. & St. Louis, K. O. (1992). Cluttering: A clinical perspective. Kibworth, Great Britain: Far Communications. (Reissued in 1996 by Singular Press, San Diego, California.) (An edited book by several other well-known authorities on the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of cluttering. Available for free download at website of International Cluttering Association: http://associations.missouristate.edu/ICA)

Scaler Scott, K. (2016). Cluttering: Another Look. Boston: Stuttering Foundation of America (a DVD with the latest updates on definition, assessment, and treatment of stuttering)

Scaler Scott, K. (2018). Fluency Plus: Managing Fluency Disorders in Individuals with Multiple Diagnoses. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK, Inc. (workbook for clinicians and SLP students)

Scaler Scott, K., & Ward, D. (2013). Managing Cluttering: A Comprehensive Guidebook of Activities. Austin, TX: Pro-Ed, Inc. (workbook for clinicians)

Scaler Scott, K. & St. Louis, K. O. (2009, July). A perspective on improving evidence and practice in cluttering. Perspectives on Fluency and Fluency Disorders, 19(2), 46-51 (article explaining the changes in the field of cluttering)

Ward, D., & Scaler Scott, K. (Eds.) (2011). Cluttering: A Handbook of Research, Intervention, and Education. London: Psychology Press. (An edited book by several other well-known authorities on the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of cluttering. Updated with the most current information on cluttering).

Scaler Scott, K. (2015). Treatment techniques for children, teens, and adults with cluttering. Abstract published in Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. Proceedings of the 10 th Oxford Dysfluency Conference, Oxford, United Kingdom.Elsevier: ScienceDirect. p. 327.

Scaler Scott, K. (2019). Cluttering symptoms in school-age children by communicative context: A preliminary investigation. International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. DOI:10.1080/17549507.2019.1637020

St. Louis, K.O., Raphael, L.J., Myers, F.L., & Bakker, K. (2003). Cluttering updated. The ASHA Leader. Retrieved from http://leader.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2292318

Weiss, D. (1964). Cluttering. Englewood Cliffs NJ: Prentice-Hall. (A well-known source on cluttering with extensive coverage of early European contributions.)

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Like stuttering, cluttering is a fluency disorder, but the two disorders are not the same. Cluttering involves excessive breaks in the normal flow of speech that seem to result from disorganized speech planning, talking too fast or in spurts, or simply being unsure of what one wants to say.

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Stuttering Foundation: A Nonprofit Organization Helping Those Who Stutter

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In spite of his severe stuttering disability, Bob Love, the son of a sharecropper, rose to become a Chicago Bulls NBA superstar, whose records were eventually surpassed by Michael Jordan. Throughout his entire athletic career, Bob Love kept his stuttering a secret from the fans who adored him, thinking he could do his "talking" on the basketball court.

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Printable social stories for kids, including free social stories & social story templates