As kids become increasingly verbal, they may stumble on words. This may raise concerns about stuttering. Parents may wonder when to know if disfluencies are a normal part of development or not.
It is common for children to have disfluencies in their speech. About 5% of children become disfluent at some point in their life usually between the ages of 2 ½ and 5. It is also typical for children to go back and forth between periods of fluency and disfluency. This can happen when the child is excited, feels rushed or is tired. It can also happen for no apparent reason.
For most kids this goes away on their own. However in some cases it persists and signs of shuttering becomes more obvious. It is important to get professional help early. This offers the best chance to reduce shuttering.
Some ways to differentiate between disfluency and shuttering
| Typical | Not Typical |
|---|---|
| Repeating phrases. ("He took, he took it from me") | Repeating sounds or syllabus. ( "Look at the b-b-book") |
| Use of filler words and sounds ( um, like) | Sound prolongations. ( "Sssssssometimes we go to the mall") |
| No tension or physical struggle when speaking | Blocks ( Child appears to be trying to make a sound but cannot) and/or physical struggle when speaking |
| No other problematic behaviors when speaking | Secondary behavior that goes with speaking difficulty ( such as eye blinking, hand tapping or throat clearing) |
| No negative reaction or frustration | Negative reaction or frustration to speaking |
| No family history of stuttering | Family history of stuttering |
| Disfluencies last for less than 6 months | Disfluencies last longer than 6 months |
Who is at risk for shuttering ?
You may be at risk for this condition if you fall into the following categories.
- Family history of shuttering
- Gender : Young boys are twice as likely to get it than girls and elementary school boys are 3 to 4 times more likely to get it than girls
- Co existing speech or language disorder increases your child’s risk.
Getting help
If you are concerned about your child’s speech, consult your pediatrician to get a speech and language evaluation. If the evaluation shows that your child is stuttering , some of the treatment options may include the following :
- Indirect treatment : This is when the speech-language pathologist helps the child’s parents on how to modify their own communication styles. This approach is effective in eliminating or reducing stuttering in many young children.
- Direct treatment : This is when the the speech-language pathologist work with the children themselves either one-on-one or in small groups, giving them specific speech strategies for easing into words and reducing tension during stuttering events.
After the age of 7, it becomes less likely that shuttering will go away completely. However treatment will be effective in helping the child manage situations such as teasing and bullying and be able to participate fully in school activities. Speech treatment is still beneficial, encouraged, and effective in helping to reduce the severity and impact of stuttering in older kids.
Content Sources
Shuttering. Nemour’s Foundation. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stutter.html. Accessed February 26th, 2018
Shuttering. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/stuttering#1. Accessed February 26th, 2018