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When parents hear the word “stuttering,” it can bring up worry or fear about their child’s future. For many years, stuttering was viewed only as a “problem to fix.” But today, new research and approaches help us see stuttering in a different, more affirming way—one that celebrates communication in all its forms and embraces verbal diversity.
Stuttering is a neurological difference in the way speech is produced. It often shows up as repetitions of sounds or words (e.g., “b-b-ball”), stretching out sounds (e.g., “ssssun”), or pauses where speech seems “stuck.”
For children and adults who stutter, these moments can vary from day to day. Sometimes speech flows smoothly, other times it doesn’t—and that’s okay. Stuttering is not caused by nervousness, parenting style, or intelligence.
Instead of seeing stuttering as something “wrong,” we can view it as a natural part of human diversity—similar to the way we value differences in culture, language, or learning style. This approach, known as stutter-affirming therapy, focuses on:
This perspective is supported by research highlighted in Toward Stutter-Affirming Therapy by Nina A. Reeves and J. Scott Yaruss, which emphasizes a strengths-based approach and reminds us that stuttering is not a flaw, but a meaningful part of human communication.
Recent studies show that stuttering is linked to how the brain processes timing and speech movements. This means stuttering is not a bad habit, but a natural difference in the way speech develops. Understanding this helps families move away from guilt or blame and toward acceptance and support.
Parents and caregivers can play a huge role in helping children who stutter thrive. Here are some affirming ways to support them:
When therapy is needed, a strengths-based, neurodiverse-affirming approach can make all the difference. Instead of pushing fluency at all costs, therapy helps children:
To dive deeper into therapy approaches, common parent questions, and strategies that really help, check out my Instagram Live conversation with bilingual SLP and stuttering expert Ana Hernandez here on @bilingualspeechie.
At Bilingual Speechie, I believe every voice deserves to be heard—whether it flows smoothly or includes moments of stuttering. Stuttering is part of human diversity, and by shifting the focus from “fixing” to celebrating verbal diversity, we give children the confidence to share their ideas proudly in every language they speak.
If you’d like to learn more about stutter-affirming therapy or schedule a consultation contact me today!
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As parents, it’s natural to notice how your child talks and to wonder whether their speech is developing as expected. If your child is hard to understand or struggles to say certain sounds, you may have heard the term “speech sound disorder.” But what does that mean? Let’s break it down together.
As parents, we celebrate every new word, every little sound, and every funny phrase our children come up with. But sometimes, you may find yourself wondering: “Should my child be talking more by now?” or “Is this a sign of a speech delay?”
¿Busca actividades divertidas y educativas que mantengan entretenido a su hijo/a? Aquí hay 3 actividades navideñas que promueven el desarrollo del lenguaje y se pueden realizar en cualquier idioma :)
¡Bienvenidos! ¡Soy Bilingual Speechie y este es mi blog de logopedia! ¡Aquí encontrará recursos y actividades bilingües (inglés y español) para la terapia del habla y lenguaje! ¡Estoy aquí para hacerles la vida más fácil!
Mi nombre es Liliana Díaz-Vázquez y obtuve mi licenciatura en trastornos de la comunicación en 2012 y mi maestría en patología del habla y lenguaje en la Universidad Saint Xavier en 2014.
Soy patóloga del habla y lenguaje bilingüe certificada (SLP) y actualmente trabajo en Chicago, Illinois. ¡Me apasiona trabajar con la población bilingüe! Me especializo en pediatría con niños de edades 1 a 18 años y principalmente trabajo con estudiantes bilingües y hispanohablantes en programas de educación general, programas preescolares y programas de educación especial.
Actualmente trabajo a tiempo completo en las escuelas públicas y a tiempo parcial en intervención temprana. También tengo mi propio blog y creo todo tipo de recursos / actividades bilingües que utilizo con mis propios clientes. Tengo una amplia experiencia en el tratamiento y la evaluación de una variedad de trastornos. He trabajado con niños con autismo, síndrome de Down, deficiencias cognitivas, discapacidades de aprendizaje, apraxia, trastornos de fluidez, trastornos del lenguaje y retrasos en el desarrollo.
Mis áreas de especialización incluyen comunicación aumentativa / alternativa (CAA), desarrollo del lenguaje bilingüe y la evaluación y tratamiento de retrasos / trastornos del lenguaje en niños bilingües.
Soy miembro de la American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) desde el 2014, miembro de la Illinois Speech and Hearing Association (ISHA) desde el 2014 y tengo mi licencia en el estado de Illinois.
Además de trabajar con familias y niños, ¡soy un "foodie" de medio tiempo! ¡Sígueme en las redes sociales para ver todas mis aventuras gastronómicas en Chicago!
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Liliana Diaz
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