Not all children need to be evaluated. It is important to find a therapist who specializes in stuttering.

There are many factors to consider before recommending an evaluation.

I ask the following questions:

• What concerns you most about your child's speech?
• How long have you had those concerns?
• Does anyone else in your family stutter?
• How old is your child?

After discussing your answers I make a recommendation about evaluation. For some, I recommend that you observe your child for a period of time before going ahead with an evaluation. For others, I recommend formal evaluation. That includes getting a speech sample to assess the severity of the problem.

I usually schedule a 1 1/2 hour session for this. It is usually centered around playing games.

I have experience in treatment of articulation (speech sounds) and language disorders. If there are concerns about these areas, I will be able to assess and identify these during the evaluation. After testing, I will discuss test scores and make recommendations if treatment is indicated.

Therapy is tailored for each individual child. For young children, therapy is play based. All other children learn techniques to help them make their speech “easy” and then use the techniques while playing a variety of games.

When the children begin to use these techniques easily they go with the therapist to different settings outside of the therapy room. This is done to help them transfer the newly learned skills in real-life situation.

Parents are encouraged to sit in on sessions whenever possible to learn along with their child, becoming familiar with the terminology and techniques that are used.