Understanding Speech Therapy for School-Age Children Who Stutter

Therapy for school-age children and teens who stutter is quite different from therapy for preschoolers who stutter. With preschoolers, goals often focus primarily on preventing negative reactions to stuttering and counseling caregivers through their concerns. Certainly, these are still relevant goals for many older children who stutter, but other goals become increasingly important as children grow.

For example, therapy for school-age children and teens who stutter may also address their feelings about stuttering, the physical tension or struggle that they may experience during moments of stuttering, and, especially, the reactions of people in their environment. These factors cannot adequately be addressed if therapy focuses primarily or solely on fluency, so a broad-based approach to stuttering therapy is absolutely necessary.

It is impossible to provide a concise overview of everything that might occur in therapy for school-age children and teens who stutter. Every speaker has their own individual needs and concerns, so therapy must be individualized. Caregivers should be wary of any clinician or other professional who suggests that all children who stutter need the same treatment. Clinicians should identify the specific needs that each individual speaker has, and then develop a customized therapy plan that addresses those needs.

The aim of therapy for school-age children and teens who stutter is to ensure they can communicate freely and effectively, without stuttering preventing them from expressing what they want to say. This does not mean they must be fluent—most children who stutter will continue to stutter throughout their lives—but it does mean that stuttering should not stand in the way of their goals.

Therapy focuses on helping children manage stuttering in ways that reduce struggle and allow for more comfortable communication. For some, this may involve skills for speaking with greater ease, such as “easy onsets,” “easy starts,” or slower speech. For others, it may involve learning to stutter with less tension by easing through moments of disfluency rather than forcing their way out. Since each child’s needs differ, SLPs work collaboratively to identify which strategies are most helpful.

Because stuttering is often linked to fear and embarrassment, therapy also addresses the attitudes of both the child and their environment. Children who feel pressure to hide their stuttering often tense their muscles, avoid speaking situations, or miss out on opportunities to participate in class. By fostering acceptance of stuttering—both within the child and among peers, teachers, and family members—therapy helps reduce tension, minimize avoidance, and create a supportive environment focused on communication rather than fluency.

Acceptance also extends to identity. When children view stuttering as part of who they are, they are less likely to avoid speaking and more likely to engage fully in daily activities. Embracing stuttering in this way not only reduces its overall impact but also empowers children to use their voices in more situations.

Finally, therapy must include education and advocacy in the child’s broader environment. Children who stutter are at risk of bullying and misunderstanding, so it is crucial that peers, caregivers, and educators learn how to respond with patience, respect, and encouragement. Building supportive communities ensures that children are valued for what they say, not how they say it.

In sum, treating school-age children and teens who stutter is a multifaceted process that combines individualized strategies, emotional support, and environmental change. Caregivers play an essential role in extending these lessons beyond the therapy room, working alongside skilled speech-language pathologists to help children communicate with confidence.

For more information about stuttering in school-age children and teens, see School-Age Stuttering: Information and Support for Parents and Other Caregivers from Stuttering Therapy Resources.