(HealthDayNews) -- Does someone you know have a stuttering problem?
According to the Speech Pathology Department at Scarborough Hospital in Toronto, Canada, it's important that your manner and actions let the person know you're interested in what they're saying -- not how they're saying it.
Here are some other pointers:
- Don't finish their sentences or fill in words.
- Avoid remarks like "slow down" or "relax." This kind of advice is demeaning.
- Keep normal eye contact and try not to cringe or look alarmed.
- If you don't understand what they are saying the first time, say so. Even if it's hard for them to repeat themselves, it's better than pretending you understood.
