commentr/StutterDecember 3, 2020

Content

I have a 7-year old with a severe stutter, too. You mentioned you and your wife were considering sending your son to a camp with other children who stutter. My son and I attended (pre-COVID) a two-day, daycamp run by SAY (The Stuttering Association for the Young). While the kids had their own games and activities together, there were sessions for parents, as well. I was a bit hesitant to go for the same reasons you may be thinking...but I am so glad we did. While my son is very social, he had never met another person who stutters. I can imagine, even if he didn’t consciously recognize that at this age, that he could feel very alone in his stuttering by never having met someone else who “talks like him.” Oh my goodness — he had a blast! It was so, so good for him to meet and spend time with other kids his age who stutter. The director, also a person who stutters, gave a moving speech about how he never met another person who stuttered until early adulthood and how isolating that had felt, and that is why he started SAY. Even listening to the director and some of the counselors, my son was wide-eyed to realize that adults stutter too and lead very successful lives. It was a very positive experience for him, and he was asking to attend again (before COVID). I’d encourage you to check out SAY and their programs!

Themes

Parent & CaregiverCommunity & SupportIdentity & Disability

Subthemes

Early Concern & OnsetPersonal StoriesPublic Awareness / Media