YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY. WE HAVE TIME!
One word stops, one syllable returns. And on the other side someone already looks at the clock. For the International Day of Awareness on Stuttering, let's start with a gesture that we can all learn: leave room for the voice of those before us.
‘Take a breath.’ ‘Slow down.’ ‘I know, you mean…’ We may say these things with the best intentions. But imagine having something important to share and being corrected as you try to say it. Perhaps what you need most is someone who stays and listens to your story.
22 October: time to listen differently
International Stuttering Awareness Day falls on 22 October. It brings the conversation into schools, homes and workplaces. The way we respond to someone’s voice can make speaking feel more welcoming—or more exhausting.
When a word gets stuck, we can make room: wait, keep natural eye contact and follow the story. These are the small gestures the Stuttering Foundation recommends for everyday conversations.
Let people finish their own sentences
The Stuttering Foundation suggests keeping natural eye contact and waiting for the person to finish. Even when you think you know the next word, let them choose it. Their sentence belongs to them.
Avoid instructions such as ‘slow down’, ‘take a breath’ or ‘relax’. They can feel dismissive. Speak at a relaxed, natural pace yourself, without making a performance of it. Focus on what the person is telling you.
A little patience on the phone, too
The foundation also highlights phone calls. If you say ‘hello’ and there is no immediate answer, wait a moment before hanging up. Someone may be trying to begin speaking. Think how many everyday things depend on a call: booking an appointment, making a request, having an interview.
Asking for support, at your own pace
If you have concerns for yourself or a child, talk to your doctor or paediatrician about a speech and language assessment. Asking for support should begin with a conversation in which you feel heard.
At home, at school and at work, we can give people time to answer, ask a question or finish a joke. A conversation feels better when everyone has room for their own voice.
In Milan, support for families
On 22 October 2026, Milan’s Vittore Buzzi Children’s Hospital offered initial phoniatric consultations and speech and language counselling for children aged 0–18 and their parents. That event at via Castelvetro 22 has ended. Check the ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco website for future initiatives.
God listens when words are difficult
In Exodus 4:10, Moses tells God about his difficulty speaking. We cannot give him a modern diagnosis from this passage. We can, however, sit with that conversation: a man brings a deeply felt vulnerability before the Lord. It reminds us to see the whole person, beyond the difficulty we first notice.
If you stutter, your opinion deserves room. A joke, a question, a wish, even that long story you have been waiting to tell: they belong in the conversation. And if you are listening, you can begin here: ‘I’m listening.’ Then stay.
