So, your young child has been developing ‘normally’. He has reached his early milestones at the appropriate ages but recently, you have noticed him repeating the first word of his sentences. It almost seems as if he ‘woke up’ like this. Sometimes, it seems like he is trying to say too much too quickly, and he can’t get his words out. You have heard of stuttering before, but could this really be what your child is experiencing? There is no family history of stuttering and he has only been presenting this way for 4 months. He never presented like this as a toddler. Does this sound familiar to you?

What is stuttering?

Stuttering is a speech disorder characterised by interruptions to speech production. Some examples of interruptions include:

• Repeating words (e.g. Will, will, willyou come over here).
• Repeating sounds (e.g. I c, c, cando that).
• Repeating syllables (e.g. The ba, ba, bananais on the table).
• Prolonging sounds (e.g. Dddddo you want this?). One sound is elongated.
• Blocks (e.g. I (pause) want a drink). The mouth is ready to say a sound but instead, there is a short period of silence.

I have heard that children ‘outgrow’ stuttering. Is this true?

Yes, some children can stutter for a short period of time, especially when they have experienced a sudden increase in vocabulary. However, if your child has been stuttering for over 3 months, it is likely that he will continue to stutter. Some other indicators that your child should seek professional advice from a Speech Pathologist include:

• There is a family history of stuttering.
• Your child is over 3.5 years of age.
• He is experiencing negative reactions such as frustration, avoiding words or speaking softer than usual.
• He experiences secondary behaviours such as grunting, blinking and grimacing.

It is important to remember that early intervention is extremely important. If you leave your child’s stutter untreated until after 6 years of age, it will be much more difficult to treat.

What has caused my child’s stutter?

Currently, the cause of stuttering is unknown however, it is understood that there is some genetic link. This means that your child is more likely to stutter when there is a family history of stuttering.

You may hear some people telling you that anxiety causes stuttering. While heightened emotions such as excitement and anxiety may increase stuttering severity, it does not cause stuttering. Stuttering, by nature, is a variable disorder that can be influenced by life changes (e.g. moving schools), changes in routine (e.g. going on holiday) or personal changes (e.g. getting excited about a birthday). Please do not feel as if you need to control these situations as often, you can’t. However, what you can do is:

1. Maintain daily routines as often as you can.
2. Keep an eye out for teasing/bullying with the support of kinder/school teachers.

Prepare yourself when big life changes are on the horizon. Talk about the changes prior to them occurring. Understand that an increase in stuttering is likely when these events occur.

If you would like further advice regarding your child’s stutter, please book an appointment with one of our friendly Speech Pathologists. The Lidcombe programme may be suitable for your child if they are under 6 years. Alternative programmes are available for older children.

Kobie Bloomfield
Certified Practising Speech Pathologist