About stuttering in children and teenagers
Stuttering makes it hard for children to speak smoothly.
There are 3 main types of stuttering in children. Children might have one or more of these types.
Repetitions
This is when a sound, part of a word, whole word or phrase is repeated. For example:
- ‘A a a and I want that one.’
- ‘An an and I want that one.’
- ‘And and and I want that one.’
- ‘And I, and I, and I want that one.’
Prolongations
This is when a sound is stretched out – for example, ‘Aaaaaaaaaaand I want that one’.
Blocks
This is when children try to speak, and no sound comes out. Sometimes children look like they’re trying to ‘push’ out the sound, but they can’t.
When stuttering starts
Stuttering in children mostly starts at 2-4 years. This is when children are starting to combine words and make longer sentences.
Sometimes stuttering doesn’t start until later in childhood.
Stuttering can start suddenly. For example, a child might wake up one day with a stutter. Stuttering can also develop or become more noticeable gradually over time.
Stuttering: how much and how often it happens
How much and how often children stutter varies a lot. Some children stutter only occasionally throughout the day. Other children might stutter on almost every word they say.
Stuttering can also change a lot from day to day, week to week, or month to month. Sometimes a child stops stuttering completely for days, weeks or months, and then they start stuttering again.
Parents say that particular situations can make their child’s stuttering better or worse. For example, their child might stutter more when they’re excited, tired or angry.
Effects of stuttering on children and teenagers
Preschoolers might not be aware of their stuttering. If your preschool-age child stutters, they might have the same social skills as non-stuttering children. Your child isn’t more likely to be shy or withdrawn compared with children their age who don’t stutter.
If stuttering continues into primary school, it can become more challenging to live with. If your child stutters at this age, they might start to feel frustrated or embarrassed because of the way other people react to the way they speak. Your child might avoid talking or change what they want to say to avoid stuttering. They might avoid classroom discussions.
Primary school-age children are less likely to be thought of as leaders by their peers and are more likely to experience bullying compared with children who don’t stutter.
Teenagers who stutter can develop stress or anxiety because of their stuttering. If your child stutters at this age, they might feel self-conscious, have lower self-esteem or find some situations challenging – for example, speaking in public or starting a romantic relationship.
What to do about stuttering in children and teenagers
If you notice that your child has a stutter, it’s important to seek professional help.
Start by contacting a speech pathologist. The speech pathologist will assess your child’s stuttering. They’ll talk with you about different stuttering treatments and work out a plan to manage your child’s stuttering.
Some children will grow out of stuttering on their own, but there’s no way to know which children will do this. It’s always best to seek help from a speech pathologist rather than assuming your child’s stuttering will go away by itself.
You can find a local professional by going to Speech Pathology Australia – Find a speech pathologist. You can also ask your GP to recommend someone.
Managing stuttering in children and teenagers
The main ways to manage stuttering in children are:
- speech restructuring programs
- psychosocial programs.
Speech restructuring programs
These programs focus on reducing how much children stutter and are provided by speech pathologists.
The Lidcombe Program is an example.
The Lidcombe Program is effective at reducing stuttering in some children. It works best with children younger than 6 years, although it can be used with older primary school-age children too.
The Lidcombe Program is a therapy you and your child do at home in everyday situations. It involves giving your child positive feedback when they speak without stuttering.
You and your child also visit a speech pathologist once a week. At these visits the speech pathologist teaches you how to do the treatment effectively.
Treatment takes different amounts of time, depending on the severity of your child’s stuttering. Your speech pathologist will help you make the Lidcombe Program part of your everyday life, so you get the best possible outcome for your child.
Psychosocial programs
These programs focus on supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of children who stutter.
SAY: AU (The Stuttering Association For The Young) provides the following free psychosocial programs:
- Confident Voices encourages children who stutter to connect and work together to develop a creative arts project in a safe and fun environment.
- Social Hangs encourages children who stutter and their families to connect and have fun. The program happens in various places. For example, there might be picnics, outdoor games or trips to the theatre or beach.
Causes of stuttering
We don’t really know why stuttering happens.
It might be because of differences in brain connections compared with people who don’t stutter. For example, there might be a difference in the way the brain sends a message to the mouth.
Stuttering runs in families. A child is more likely to stutter if other people in their family stutter or have stuttered. But it doesn’t mean that a child who has a family history of stuttering will definitely stutter.
Stuttering isn’t caused by anxiety or stress. But stuttering can cause stress and anxiety, particularly for teenagers.
A child can’t catch stuttering from somebody else. And a child who stutters can’t always control it.