How to Stop Stuttering While Talking

Posted on October 16 2018

How to Stop Stuttering While Talking

Tips and techniques for adults and children struggling with fluent speech.

One way to stop stuttering while talking is to slow down.

More than 3 million people in the U.S. stutter, including about 5% of children between the ages of 2 and 5. Though the severity of stutters varies, all cases can undermine confidence while speaking and reading aloud. Thankfully, there are practical ways to help both children and adults who stutter. Here are tips to learn how to stop stuttering while talking:

Slow down
Use a speech monitor
Practice in a safe place
Talk to an expert

Keep reading to learn more about these tools that can help you or your child stop stuttering.

1. Slow down

Release the pressure to speak quickly and encourage children (and adults) with a stutter to slow down, relax, and take their time. Pausing for a few deep breaths and speaking slowly and intentionally can help those who struggle to get past a stuttering hurdle.

2. Use a speech monitor

Speech monitors range in type from audio feedback products, like the brightly colored and inexpensive Toobaloo whisper phone that children love, to electronic headsets that can cost up to thousands of dollars. With all types of speech monitors, the concept is the same: users receive instant audio feedback as they speak, which can boost confidence and help increase fluency.

Use this checklist to learn how to select a whisper phone for you or your child.

3. Practice in a safe place

Public reactions to stuttering can make people who stutter feel ashamed and paranoid about their speech. Whether at home or in a speech-language pathologist’s (SLP) office, having a safe place to practice is one of the most important – and often overlooked – aspects of helping stutterers become more confident and effective communicators.

4. Talk to an expert

An SLP can suggest a variety of strategies to help stuttering, using both direct and indirect methods. For some children who stutter, helping them gain confidence, simplify their speech, and make eye contact can play a critical role in a child's fluency and confidence.

Can an SLP help your little one? Here are 5 signs your child needs speech therapy.

For more information on how to stop stuttering, check out our blog today. We have a wealth of resources and tools that promote confidence and fluency. Begin shopping our speech and reading educational tools online or call us for assistance today at (877) 819-2541.