stuttering

My brother stuttered, still does and is 50odd. He is reconciled to it now but it was made a lot worse by my father's attitude, he both bullied and teased him about it. I think what I am trying to say is that try not to pay too much attention to it unless it becomes a handicap to his learning and development. Am sure his Mum can get advise of how to proceed from health care professional if its deemed a real problem.

yes she has seen the health visitor and is waiting an appointment with the speech therapist and has the leaflets on what to do and what not to do. we have never had this in our family or have any friends who have it so all new to it, my daughter is doing well with it not pointing it out etc, just hope it sorts its self out sometimes it takes him 12-13 tries to say something x

must of been hard for your brother to grow up with being teased about it x

twinplus My DS1 had problems with a stutter when he first started putting sentences together,he was just in such a rush to say something that it took him a while to slow down and think what he was saying the problem sorted its self with us gently reminding him to take things slowly but what 3/4 yrs old boy does things slowly ? We didn't make an issue of it and when he had something to say everyone stopped and listened to him making sure he was not interupted by his elder sister.

Speech therapists are wonderful people, and I am sure will be able to help. Is the other twin, by any chance, the more assertive of the two? One of my sons was slightly deterred in speaking by his vociferous younger brother.

But ( thinking of your brother, HildaW) this has reminded me of a wonderful presentation I saw a couple of years ago, by The Starfish Project:

www.starfishproject.co.uk/

Ariadne, I saw a programme about the too...was inspiring and just a little tear jerking.

Glammanana, my brother was very bright, and part of his problem was that his ideas were coming too fast for him. He was also a bit late in the speech development business but that was probably not helped by me being the big sister and doing his talking for him. I just think its so important that everyone concerned gives plenty of gentle support and lets the child slowly develop at their own pace. The trouble is that we tend not to think a child is bright unless we see the evidence, i.e. hear the words spoken or see other outward signs. Many a child is as bright as a button but outside pressure to 'perform' can either stifle or inhibit them.

We saw 'one flew over the cuckoo's nest' again the other day. Such a moving scene when the young man with a terrible stutter is given the chance to sleep with one of the midnight visitors. His stutter totally disappears, until 'Nurse' says 'you know I am a friend of your mother's. She will not be pleased when she hears about this' - and the young man crumples and begins to stutter again. Isn't it fabulous that nowadays speech therapists can work wonders and help kids get out of stuttering early and forever.

Hilda Yes we did have occassions when his sister would say "he wants this" and stop him from asking for himself,as a matter of fact she is still the bossy boots now and she is 41 and he is 36 ???

twinplus2girls can only endorse what has been said. When he is talking wait for him to say what he wants without interruption and an encouraging smile. Better he is speaking with a stutter than not wanting to speak at all.