Stuttering Therapy for Kids in Westlake Village

Stuttering is a speech disorder with repeated sounds, syllables, or words, stretched-out sounds, and moments when speech gets stuck, called blocks, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).

Here is what it can sound like, with examples from ASHA:

• Part-word repeats"I w-w-w-want a drink."
• Whole-word repeats"Go-go-go away."
• Stretched sounds"Ssssssssam is nice."
• Blocks"I want a (pause) cookie."

Stuttering can also bring tension and negative feelings about talking, according to ASHA. Some children blink or nod while trying to get a word out.

Stuttering is not a sign of low intelligence or weak effort, and it is not something a parent caused.

It can be. Stuttering usually starts between ages 2 and 6, and many children go through normal periods of bumpy speech that last less than 6 months, according to ASHA.

Most children who stutter stop on their own. NIDCD reports that about 75 percent of children recover from stuttering. No one can tell in advance which children will, so it helps to know the signs that call for a closer look.

Health professionals generally recommend an evaluation if a child has stuttered for 3 to 6 months, shows struggle while talking, or has a family history of stuttering, according to NIDCD.

• It has lasted for monthsStuttering that has gone on 3 to 6 months or more.
• It started at 3½ or laterChildren who start stuttering at 3½ or later are more likely to keep stuttering (ASHA).
• Tension or strugglePushing to get words out, blinking, or nodding.
• It runs in the familyA parent or relative stutters, or did as a child.
• Your child avoids talkingChoosing other words, or going quiet.
• It bothers your childYour child seems upset or embarrassed by it.

ASHA also notes that boys are more likely than girls to keep stuttering. You do not need a diagnosis to call us.

It is not about forcing perfectly smooth speech. The goal is easier talking and a child who keeps wanting to talk.

For young children, ASHA describes two kinds of help: direct strategies that help a child change how they speak, and indirect strategies that make it easier for a child to talk. For older children, therapy focuses on managing stuttering, feeling less tense, and speaking more freely.

How a child feels about talking matters. Sessions stay warm and playful, and a child is never rushed or told to "slow down." Sessions run 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the service.

You are an important part of your child's treatment, according to ASHA. Small changes at home can help talking feel easier.

• Give timeLeave pauses and let your child finish, without finishing words for them.
• Slow your own paceNIDCD suggests speaking in a slightly slowed, relaxed way.
• Make room to talkNIDCD suggests a relaxed home with many chances to speak.
• Listen to the messageRespond to what your child says, not how it came out.

Your plan includes parent coaching, so you learn what to say and do in the moments that matter, like dinner, bedtime, and the drive to school.

It starts with a free 15-minute consultation. If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days. The written report follows within 14 business days, with a treatment plan if therapy is recommended.

1. Free 15-minute consultation

   You talk with a licensed speech-language pathologist about what you are noticing at home and at school. If we don't think an evaluation is needed yet, we will say so.

2. Evaluation within 3 business days

   If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days of your consultation. The speech-language pathologist listens to how your child talks in different moments, asks about family history, and talks with you, and with older children, about how talking feels. It usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.

3. Written report and recommendation

   Within 14 business days, you get the written evaluation, and a clear treatment plan if therapy is recommended. The plan sets graduation goals: the skills that show a child is ready to finish therapy.

4. Parent coaching

   Your plan includes parent coaching. You learn how to respond when your child stutters, and how to make talking easier at home.

5. Sessions

   Sessions are matched to your child's age and run 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the service.

Nita Anavim, M.S., CCC-SLP, leads speech therapy at Therapy Clubhouse in Westlake Village. She is a licensed speech-language pathologist and co-founder.

Speech-language pathologist · Co-founder

Nita AnavimM.S., CCC-SLP

Degrees

M.S. and B.S., Communicative Disorders and Sciences, California State University, Northridge

Certification

Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

California license

No. 38532Verify on the state license search (opens in a new tab) ↗

“I want them to leave feeling like they came to play with someone new.”

Meet Nita →

Coverage depends on your plan. You can use your insurance through our partner, Village, which handles the billing. Village accepts PPO plans from several major insurers, and TRICARE.

Village also charges its own fee for each visit, in addition to your copay or deductible. Before therapy starts, Village goes over the expected cost with you.

We are waiting to become in network with major insurance companies. Until then, Village is how insurance works with us.

You can also pay privately, and we give you a superbill to send to your plan for possible out-of-network reimbursement. On the free 15-minute call, we check your coverage before you commit to anything.