Speech Difficulties

A person who has had a stroke, is severely hard of hearing, uses a voice prosthesis or has a stammer or other type of speech disability may be difficult to understand.

Give the person your full attention. Don’t interrupt or finish the person’s sentences. If you have trouble understanding, don’t nod. Just ask him to repeat. In most cases the person won’t mind and will appreciate your effort to hear what he has to say.

If you are not sure whether you have understood, you can repeat for verification.

If, after trying, you still cannot understand the person, ask him to write it down or to suggest another way of facilitating communication.

A quiet environment makes communication easier.

Don’t tease or laugh at a person with a speech disability. The ability to communicate effectively and to be taken seriously is important to all of us.