How to Help a Stuttering Child

It is not uncommon for a child between the ages of 2 and 5 to have a period of temporary stuttering. This is a crucial time of speech and language development. The stutter may persist for a couple of weeks or months. Other children never grow out of this speech disorder, continuing to stutter into adulthood. Whether or not your child's stutter is temporary or permanent, learn all you can so you have the resources you need to help your stuttering child.

What Is Stuttering?

Stuttering, also known as "disfluency," is a speech disorder that affects more than 3 million Americans, according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Disorders. Stuttering occurs when normal speech is interrupted by the repetition or extension of certain sounds or words. Stuttering can range in frequency and intensity from mild to severe. Stress can sometimes make it worse. The struggle to speak may be accompanied by physical gestures or movements.

Causes of Stuttering

Experts don't know for sure what causes stuttering in a child, but most believe that the speech disorder occurs as the result of a variety of factors. They may include one or more of the following:

• Genetics. Most experts agree that stuttering has a genetic component. Sixty percent of all people who stutter have a close family member who also stutters.
• Developmental stuttering. Many young children go through a period of stuttering beginning at the age of 18 months to 2 years, as they hone their speech and language skills. This form of stuttering is usually temporary.
• Neurological factors. Research has found that people who stutter process language differently than those without the speech disorder. In some cases, there seems to be a problem in the way language is transmitted through the brain. Scientists don't know exactly why this occurs.

Risk Factors for Stuttering

How do you know whether a stuttering child has a temporary developmental problem, or a more serious speech disorder that warrants intervention? According to the Stuttering Foundation, the following factors put your child at greater risk:

• Family. Your child is at higher risk if he or she has one or more family members who stutter in adulthood.
• Age. Children who begin stuttering before they reach age 3 ½ are more likely to outgrow it.
• Length of time stuttering persists. If your child's stuttering habit lasts longer than 6 months, it is less likely that he or she will outgrow it.
• Gender. Boys are three to four times as likely as girls to stutter.
• Other speech and language deficits. If your child has other problems speaking and being understood, it is less likely that he will outgrow his stutter.

Treatment for Stuttering

Many parents are reluctant to seek speech therapy for their stuttering child because they don't want to increase their child's self-consciousness about the speech disorder. Experts agree that if your child is over 3 years old and has been stuttering for three to six months, you should probably seek a speech evaluation. That's because your stuttering child may have more than a temporary developmental problem. Find a speech therapist who specializes in stuttering. The therapist can help you decide whether or not your child needs intervention.

Most stuttering children can benefit from speech therapy. In some cases, the problem is completely eliminated; in other cases, it gets much better. Whatever the final outcome, speech therapy should boost your child's confidence as he or she learns to manage stuttering and improve speaking skills.