The holiday season is rapidly approaching, meaning that many of our schedules are becoming fuller with family gatherings, elaborate meals, and celebrations of cultures. With our days and nights becoming jam-packed with holiday cheer, those who experience difficulty with speech fluency may feel differently. SpeechEasy understands this feat and is here to offer a few tips for helping your loved one through the stress and frustration of stuttering during this holiday season.
Enjoy, but Contain Anticipation and Excitement
Parents of children who suffer from a speech fluency impairment understand that while children love to get excited, this built up enthusiasm can lead to children experiencing a more difficult time talking and forming correct sentences. Rather than building up to the day your child will get to go meet Santa, gaining more and more enthusiasm as the time goes by, talk to your child calmly about visiting with Santa to keep the event in their head, but they aren’t so wired up they won’t be able to speak. Of course, don’t put a stop to holiday cheer altogether but limit the sensation of excitement to where your child is happy to experience what the season brings, but not too excited to where they can’t speak properly. It’s all about balance.
Quiet Time Helps with Speech Fluency Difficulties
The holidays can be filled with big events, special family gatherings, and bustling shopping sprees, making life so busy that we forget to step back and relax. This restful quiet time is important for those who suffer from speech fluency difficulties because this is time spent where they are not forced to communicate with others. Children and adults who stutter can immediately benefit from reading a book, coloring, listening to holiday music, or watching a seasonal movie due to the distressing factors of these activities. When people who stutter are given a break from stressful environments, they handle frustrating situations where stuttering takes place, better.
Remember That It’s Okay to Stutter
Those who stutter are aware that they are having a hard time with their speech fluency. Reassuring them that it is okay to stutter and that you are listening can make a large difference in their confidence with speech. Understand that others who are not used to listening to a stutter may have concerns about “fixing them” or “getting therapy” but these comments can hurt unintentionally. The holidays are a special time to be together, and a stutter should never get in the way of that.
SpeechEasy
SpeechEasy is a combination of proven technology and techniques which can be used to reduce stuttering this holiday season. Worn in one ear and similar in appearance to a hearing aid, SpeechEasy has helped thousands increase their ability to communicate effectively and confidently. The program that comes with every SpeechEasy is supported by a team of fluency professionals who truly care about your success. Contact us today!