Successful communication for children who stutter: finding the balance.

For many school-age children, stuttering consists of more than just speech disfluencies, physical tension, and struggle. Therefore, successful therapy for stuttering should address more than just these observable characteristics. In addition to working on fluency goals, clinicians can help children (as well as the people in the child's environment) reduce negative reactions to stuttering and increase their tolerance and acceptance of their speaking abilities. By treating the entire stuttering disorder in this way, clinicians can help children reduce barriers to successful communication and improve their overall communication skills. When children develop a balance between increased fluency and healthy communication attitudes, they have the greatest opportunity for becoming successful communicators who can speak freely and with confidence in any situation they face.