Know About Stuttering in Toddlers and Preschoolers

Posted by Christopher Lee on May 17th, 2021

As toddlers and preschoolers begin to speak more, they may speak in a choppy manner, raising concerns about stuttering. As parents, how do you know when fluency problems are a normal part of development and when to worry the most?

What Are Typical Fluency Problems?

It is not uncommon for young children to have problems with fluency in speech (for example, repetition of words or phrases). In fact, probably around 5% of all children have fluency problems at some point in their development, usually between the ages of 2 1/2 and 5 years. It is also very characteristic to have intermittent flow problems. Sometimes, tiredness and sadness are the reasons and off course these are temporary.

Learning the Rules of Language:

During this time, children are rapidly expanding their vocabularies and learning complex rules of language. These rules allow children to change simple messages ("Mommy, juice") for longer, more complex sentences that require more motor coordination to be flawless ("Mommy, put the juice in the blue glass"). It is natural that there are some interruptions in the process.

Is It Really Stuttering?

In most toddlers and preschoolers, most fluency problems go away on their own after a short time. In other cases, fluency problems persist, and signs of stuttering become more obvious. Getting professional help early has the best chance of reducing stuttering. But how can parents tell the difference between a typical fluency problem that will go away and early signs of atypical fluency problems that could indicate stuttering?

If your child really stutters, he or she is likely to hold up the first sound of a word, saying, "Aaaaaaaa sometimes we stay home" or repeating the sound, as in "Look at the bbb-baby!”. Blinking, tightening the mouth, looking to the side, and avoiding eye contact are symptoms of shuttering.

Risk Factors for Stuttering:

Family History: Family history is the most important predictor of whether or not a child is likely to stutter.

Sex: Boys are twice as likely as girls to stutter, and elementary school-age boys are 3-4 times more likely to stutter than girls.

Age of onset: Children who begin to stutter around age 4 are more likely to have persistent stuttering than those who begin to stutter younger.

Coexisting speech or language disorders increase a child's chances of stuttering.

Getting help:

If you are concerned about your child's speech, speak with the pediatrician for a speech and language evaluation. A complete evaluation by a certified speech and language pathologist can help you better determine if stuttering is likely to persist.

Speech and language pathologists will help parents determine the best plan of action (for example, closely observing the child's fluency, enrolling the child for treatment services or parenting education).

Approaches to Treating Stuttering:

Early treatment of stuttering is very important, as stuttering is more likely to be eliminated when the child is young (before entering primary school). There are two main forms of treatment for stuttering:

• The indirect treatment is when the pathologist speech and language helps the child's parents to modify their own communication styles. It can cause miracles sometimes and eliminate shuttering.
• The direct treatment involves the work of the pathologist speech and language with the children themselves, either individually or in small groups, strategies giving them the specific speech to issue the words more easily and reduce stress on the episodes of stuttering. In addition, direct treatment may involve helping the child differentiate between fluent speech and "stumbling" speech (stuttering). 

After 7 years of age, stuttering is unlikely to go away completely. Still, after the age of 7, treatment can be very effective in helping a child manage his stuttering effectively, helping him develop the skills necessary to handle difficult situations (for example, teasing and bullying) and participate in an effective way full in the school and its activities. For older children, speech therapy continues to be beneficial, recommended, and effective in helping to reduce the severity and impact of stuttering.

What Parents Can Do?

Here are some ways parents can help:

Reduce the stress on communication. There are different techniques to reduce pressure on a child in a conversational situation. Rephrasing the questions in the form of comments (using "You played on the playground at school today. It must have been fun!" Instead "Was it a good day or not?") Is a more effective way. Avoid the situation that triggers shuttering in your child.

Talk about what happens specially when your child know about their situation. Let them know that it is okay to "stumble". Do not tell a child if they do not know until they visit therapist.

Be patient. Give the children time to finish saying what they are saying. Don't rush or interrupt them. Don't ask them to "slow down" or "think about what they want to say." Phrases like that usually don't help children who stutter.

As an example of good speaking habits. While it is generally not helpful to tell a child how to speak, parents can model good speaking habits that help with stuttering, such as speaking more slowly.

Seek the help of a professional. There are many ways to find a speech and language pathologist. Your child's pediatrician can make a recommendation. If you continue to be concerned about your child's speech reach out speech and language therapy in Dubai.