Hannah

When Hannah came to the Centre with her parents for an assessment, she had been stammering for around 18 months. Her stammering was noticeable and there was tension in her face and body when she got stuck on words. Her parents described her as a very sensitive girl who often worries about things and gets upset easily. This was impacting on how she coped in class as she often became tearful and took a long time to complete work as she was keen to get it ‘just right’. Her parents said that she agonised over answering the register in class and would often practice this with her parents at home. Her teachers said that Hannah was becoming increasingly embarrassed by her speech and was starting to opt out of speaking in the class.

Hannah and her parents attended a course of Palin Parent Child Interaction therapy and the speech and language therapist also visited Hannah’s school to discuss with her teachers ways they could help to manage her stammering, her emotions and her worries in school and to support her to build her confidence and self-esteem. Hannah’s stammering is now much less evident and her teachers report that she is much more confident and happy in school. They even said she is sometimes the first to finish her work! Hannah’s parents know that they are able to return to the Centre at any time should her stammering increase again, or if they need any further support.