Help

[DianeSLP]

I'm a speech therapist in my clinical fellowship year - that is, my first year treating patients. I work at a clinic with all sorts of communication disorders. Today I saw a 12-year-old who stutters and has never had any therapy.This is my FIRST stuttering patient. I asked him about his feelings about his stuttering, he said kids tease him at school and he started crying.

I feel so inadequate. The one thing I did right today (I think) was to tell him the most important thing he can do is get into a support group. I get the sense he feels very alone.

From your experience, where is the best place for a therapist to START? I'm talking about, I will see this child again next Monday, and where do I begin?

Any replies much appreciated, and please forgive my lack of experience!

Diane

[Bill Hargis]

I have a freind who taught speech pathology at a major university. His first assignment to his students was: Go out in public and stutter severely and report their experiences. That gave them valuable insight, you should do that before you treat any stutterer.