The Truth About Stuttering in Small Children

Does your toddler or preschooler stutter? This speech problem is actually fairly common and although it can worry parents to no end, it usually resolves itself without difficulties. About 5% of all children go through a stuttering phase, where they repeatedly utter the same letter sound or word, unintentionally.

Males tend to develop a stutter more often than females, but even so, only about 1% of adults have a permanent stutter, most children tend to outgrow the problem. Although it is a condition that tends to run in families (siblings or children of stutterers will be more likely to have the same problem), it can appear in anyone. There are no fixed factors that cause stuttering.

The interesting thing about this condition is that it rarely occurs when the person affected cannot hear his own voice. This occurs when singing in unison with other people, for example.

Children usually go through a phase of stuttering as part of their speech development, between 2-5 years of age, but this is usually only a phase and shouldn't be worried about. If your child is able to keep talking once he has begun or repeats entire words only a couple of times, it is probably just a phase. Signs that you need to worry about include repeating a letter sound or part of a word such as "wat-t-t-t-t-t-er" or stopping dead in the middle of a word or sentence and if the stuttering continues after the age of 5.

There's no need to worry that your child may have a lower IQ just because he stutters. Those who have this problem are just as intelligent as anyone else and they are able to think and listen easily enough. The problem is neurological, a small glitch that keeps them from speaking properly, although they know exactly what they want to say.

Stress can make it more difficult for a stutterer to speak and some children might find it nearly impossible to speak to strangers or in front of a class. Try to teach your little one some self-calming techniques to ease his anxiety. This can reduce his stuttering. It can also help at times to tell your child to stop, take a deep breath, think about what he wants to say and try again. On occasions, kids who are going through a stuttering phase simply get too excited and lose the ability to communicate properly.

It can be frustrating for both parents and children when a child stutters, but as long as it doesn't last more than a few months, you don't need to worry. If your little one continues to have speech problems after 6 or 7 months, it might be time to check with a speech therapist.