What Parents Can Do at Home When a Young Child Stutters (And What to Avoid)

By Lori Melnitsky, MA, CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist | Stuttering Specialist All Island Speech & Stuttering Therapy

For more information about stuttering and to hear real case studies, check out my podcast Stuttering Demystified and Beyond.

If your young child is stuttering, you are not alone.

When a young child begins to stutter, parents often ask me one simple question: “What should I be doing at home?”It’s an important question — and one I answer with care, both as a speech-language pathologist who specializes in stuttering and as someone who stutters myself.Stuttering runs in my family. My father stuttered. I stutter. And my daughter went through a period of stuttering as a young child. I understand how easy it is for parents to worry about doing or saying the wrong thing.

Start Here: Your Child Is Not Doing Anything Wrong

Stuttering is not caused by parenting style, anxiety, or something your child is doing incorrectly.Young children who stutter are not choosing it, and many are not fully aware of it. For many children, stuttering appears during periods of rapid language growth.The goal at home is not to fix speech, but to create a calm, supportive communication environment.

What Parents Can Do at Home to Support a Child Who Stutters

You do not need special exercises to help your child. Simple, consistent changes can make a meaningful difference.Helpful strategies include:- Slowing your own speaking rate slightly- Reducing rapid or back-to-back questions- Allowing your child time to finish their thoughts- Responding to what your child says, not how they say it- Spending short periods of relaxed one-on-one time together

What Parents Should Avoid When a Child Stutters

Even well-intentioned responses can increase pressure. Try to avoid:- Telling your child to slow down or take a breath- Asking them to repeat words more smoothly- Finishing sentences for them- Showing visible worry, frustration, or urgencyChildren are very sensitive to adult reactions. Calm, neutral responses protect confidence.

Why These Strategies Matter

For young children, stuttering therapy often focuses on supporting the environment rather than changing speech directly.When pressure is reduced, children are more likely to communicate freely and maintain confidence as language continues to grow.

When Additional Support May Help

If stuttering continues over time, increases, or begins to affect confidence or participation, speaking with a stuttering specialist can help clarify next steps.Sometimes reassurance is enough. Sometimes short-term support is helpful. Sometimes monitoring is the right choice.

Support Beyond Location

I work with families in person and virtually and currently support parents in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, and Connecticut.

Next Steps for Parents

If you’re unsure whether what you’re seeing is typical — or if you simply want guidance — you don’t have to figure this out alone.I offer parent consultations, stuttering evaluations for young children, and individualized support focused on confidence and communication.Visit www.allislandspeech.com to schedule a parent consultation or get in touch.

About the Author

Lori Melnitsky, MA, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and stuttering specialist and the founder of All Island Speech & Stuttering Therapy. Lori stutters herself and brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work with children, teens, adults, and parents.

Stuttering runs in Lori’s family — her father stuttered, and her daughter experienced stuttering as a young child. This personal history informs her compassionate, pressure-free approach, which focuses on communication confidence and emotional safety rather than forcing fluency.

Lori provides services in person and virtually to families in New York, New Jersey, Florida,