CHILDREN WHO STAMMER.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17783, 1 March 1926, Page 9

CHILDREN WHO STAMMER.

A NURSE.)

(By

Stammering is much more frequently a bad habit than a disease. A child may have an accident or a fright which leaves him nervous and has its consequent effect on speech that is still imperfect at a tender age. Begin as earl}' as possible to put. him at hie ease. Try your very best, to instil confidence in him, assuring him that talking is quite easy if he will only remember that all the people round him have themselves had to learn when they were his age. Investigation nearly always proves that the stammer disappears when the Jciddy talks tq himself in his. own nur-

sery, or when left alone, affording abundant evidence that it is merely a curable nervous complaint; not, as some young parents are inclined to believe, a mysterious chronic something which cannot be vanquished. Tell the little one: “ That's better. Don't hurry. Take your time. Now, after me—‘How bright the sun is!’ Now take a deep breath. Once more —‘ I think pussy wants her dinner.’ Another deep breath. ‘ I want to speak ever so nicely and I know I can if I take a deep breath before starting a new sentence.’ ” And so on; but on no account scold the child. Stammering can only be cured by the most patient kindness. When defective speech is a disease, it entails sometimes an operation for cleft palate; an operation visually performed after the child reaches the. age of two years. As a rule it is completely successful in so far as the surgeon's part is concerned; but there is still work for the parents to do if the operation is to serve its full purpose from the child's standpoint. There will be need for infinite patience and much time to be spent on the little one if he is to be taught to speak distinctlv. Don’t indulge in too much baby prattle. Though baby-talk is prettv. it is kinder to a child whose speech is not too clear to begin at the verv beginning by teaching him to articulate distinctly and accurately each word he attempts to utter.