A Parent's guide to childhood stuttering

Introduction

Many preschool children occasionally repeat syllables or lengthen sounds at the beginning of words. The good news: most children who stutter stop on their own within two or three months. The bad news: one child in 100 continues to stutter past that age and the longer it lasts, the harder stuttering is to cure.

Raising the Questions

How old is your child and when did your child begin to stutter?
Is stuttering gender-related? Is it hereditary?
Do you think you did something that caused your child's stuttering?
Does your child stutter more often now than before? How consistently?

Q How old is your child and when did your child begin to stutter?

A If your child is between 18 months and 4 years old, you've probably heard at least a few examples of stuttering: the repetition of fillers like "er" or "um," the first syllables of words, such as "te-te-te-ddy bear;" or the prolongation of the first sounds of words, such as "MMMMommy." Nine out of 10 children learning to talk experience these normal speech interruptions. Speech professionals consider them a normal part of learning to talk, just as children normally stumble and fall while learning to walk.

While early stuttering usually disappears on its own, in a few children it continues or worsens, requiring therapy. Most children who stutter began before their fifth birthday. Stuttering rarely appears after age five, and almost no one starts to stutter after age 12 except as the result of a severe head injury.

Q Is stuttering gender-related? Is it hereditary?

It is not known why boys are three to four times as likely to stutter as girls. Close relatives of children who stutter are also about three times as likely to stutter as are strangers.

Q Do you think you did something that caused your child's stuttering?

A Scientists have not yet discovered what causes stuttering. But they know this: contrary to popular myth, stuttering does not stem from poor parenting, neurosis or emotional trauma.

To further understand stuttering, researchers are currently investigating the complex interactions of brain, feelings and muscles that result in speech. In one study, researchers looked at the sets of muscles that surround the voice box and control normal speech. They discovered that during stuttering two sets of muscles that should first contract and then relax were contracting at the same time in a sort of tug of war. In people who stutter, scientists also found unusually high levels of activity in the tongue muscle, but they can't say whether this muscle tension caused stuttering or resulted from it. Experts do know that children rarely stutter when they whisper, talk to themselves or their pet, or sing.

Q Does your child stutter more often now than before? How consistently?

A You needn't be unduly concerned if your young child stutters once in a while, or if stuttering disappears in a preschool child after a short time. Simply observe the "Do's and Don'ts for Talking to Your Child" at the end of this brochure.

Plan to supplement your own efforts with professional help from a speech therapist if you notice that:

your child started stuttering after age five
the stuttering persists or worsens
your child has developed secondary reactions to stuttering, such as tremors around the mouth or jaw; a rise in pitch or loudness; signs of struggle or tension in the lips, tongue, throat or chest; fear or crying; long pauses or avoiding speech.

Seek a therapist who holds certification by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Some states require speech therapists to hold licenses as well. But beyond certification and licensure, a competent therapist should have experience working with children who stutter. For a referral, call your pediatrician, local hospital, area university or college with a training program in speech pathology or contact one of the organizations listed in this brochure.

If your child is quite young, and stuttering has not continued for too long, your own guidance or a few sessions with a therapist will probably be enough to reverse the stuttering. But if your child has established a pattern of stuttering, you will need outside help.

Within a few weeks of beginning therapy, your young child should gradually show signs of improvement: more relaxation and increased enjoyment while talking. If after a month or more of therapy your child continues to struggle to speak or avoids speech, you may need to seek further advice or another approach.

Do's and Don'ts for Talking to Your Child

Do:

listen patiently and speak slowly when talking to your child.
pause a second or so when responding to your child's questions or comments.
promote family conversation during dinner.
keep eye contact, or when you can't, reassure your child that you are still listening.
spend at least five minutes talking with your child each day.

Don't:

interrupt, hurry your child to finish talking, or complete sentences for your child.
talk rapidly to your child.
correct or criticize your child's speech.
tell your child to take a deep breath before talking or to slow down.
make your child perform public speeches or read aloud.

To find a local speech therapist with experience treating stuttering, call the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association at (800) 638-8255 or the Stuttering Foundation of America at (800) 992-9392. The Stuttering Foundation also provides other resources.