1. Teasing
Teasing can be very painful for the student who stutters, and it should be eliminated as much as possible.
If the child has obviously been upset by teasing, talk with him or her one-on-one. Help the child to understand why others tease, and brainstorm ideas for how to respond. If any certain children are picking on him, talk to them alone and explain that teasing is unacceptable. Try to enlist their help. Most want the approval of the teachers. If the problem persists, you may want to consult a guidance counselor or social worker if one is available in your building. They often have good suggestions for managing teasing.
2. Speech Therapy
If you are unsure whether a speech pathologist is available in your school, talk with your building administrator. Also, suggest to the parents that they seek one out who specializes in stuttering and who has a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The Stuttering Foundation of America offers free referrals at www.stutteringhelp.org or call toll-free 1-800-992-9392.
We have listed a few general points here. Always keep in mind that each child is different, and your caring positive attitude will make a big difference.
