Many children repeat words and phrases or mispronounce words as they learn to talk. Most of these difficulties are normal and disappear with time, although they are naturally of concern to parents.
When children are learning to speak, between 18 months and 5 years of age, they normally repeat words and phrases. This repetition is called "dysfluency" or "pseudostuttering." Normal dysfluency occurs in about 90% of children because the child's mind is able to form words faster than the tongue can produce them. if handled correctly, it lasts for only two or three months.
Many children who are learning to talk also have trouble pronouncing words correctly. "Normal dysarthria" and "mispronunciation" are terms used to describe incorrect pronunciation. Once again, this is not true, stuttering. Sounds are substituted or left out, so that some words become hard to identify. Normal dysarthria affects about 30% of children between 1 and 4 years of age, causing them to say words that their parents and others cannot comprehend. The cause is usually hereditary. Unlike normal dysfluency, normal dysarthria, speech becomes completely understandable by 4 years of age. By 5 or 6 years, 95% of children can speak intelligibly.
True stuttering, which affects around 1% of children, involves repetitions of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases; hesitations and pauses in speech; absence of smooth speech flow; and fear of talking. It occurs more often when the child is tired, excited, or stressed and is four times more common in boys than girls.
In most cases, true stuttering develops when a child with normal dysfluency or dysarthria is pressured to improve and in the process becomes sensitive to his inadequacies. Soon the child begins to anticipate speaking poorly and struggles to correct it. the child becomes tense when he speaks, and the more he attempts to control his speech, the worse it becomes. Hereditary factors also play a role in stuttering. Without treatment by a speech therapist, true stuttering will be come worse and persist into adulthood.
The following suggestions for helping your child cope with normal dysfluency and dysarthria should prevent these conditions from progressing to true stuttering.
Encourage conversation. Sit down and talk with your child at least once a day. Keep the subject matter pleasant and enjoyable. Avoid asking your child to recite or otherwise perform verbally. Keep speaking time low-key and fun.
Don't correct your child's speech. Avoid expressing disapproval. Don't use phrases such as, "Stop that stuttering" or "Think before your speak." Remember that this is your child's normal speech for her age and is not controllable. Don't try to improve your child's grammar or pronunciation. Also, avoid praising her for good speech because it implies that her pervious speech wasn't up to standard.
Don't interrupt your child. Give your child ample time to finish what he is saying. Don't complete sentences for him, and don't let siblings do so, either. Try to leave a pause of two seconds between the end of your child's sentence and the beginning of yours.
Don't ask your child to repeat herself or start over. Listen very closely when your child is speaking. If possible, guess the message. Only if you don't understand a comment that appears to be important should you ask your child to restate it.
Don't ask your child to practice a certain word or sound. this just makes him more self-conscious about his speech.
Don't ask your child to slow down when she speaks. A rushed rate of speech is a temporary phase that cant't be changed by orders from the parent. Try to convey to your child that you have plenty of time and are not in a hurry. Model a relaxed rate of speech.
Don't label your child a stutterer. Labels tend to become self-fulfilling prophecies. Don't discuss you child's speech problems in this presence. Don't allow siblings to tease or imitate your child's stuttering.
Help your child to relax and feel accepted in general. Try tin increase the hours of fun and play your child has each day. Try to slow down the pace of your family life. Avoid situations that seem to bring on stuttering. if there are any areas in which you have been applying strict discipline, back off.
Ask other adults not to correct your child's speech. share these guidelines with baby-sitters, teachers, relatives, neighbors, and visitors.
Call our office during regular hours if:
| Your child is over 5 years of age. |
| Your child has true stuttering. |
| Your child also grimaces of has facial tics. |
| Your child has become self-conscious or fearful about his speech. |
| Your family has a history of stuttering in adulthood. |
| Your child's speech is delayed ( no words by 18 months or no sentences by 2 1/2 years). |
| Your child's speech is totally unintelligible to others, and he is over 2 years of age. |
| His speech is more than 50% unintelligible to others, and he is over 3 years of age. |
| His speech is 10% unintelligible to others, and he is over 4 years of age. |
| Dysfluency doesn't improve after trying this program for two months. |
| You have other questions or concerns |
Adapted from Schmitt BD: Your Child's Health. New York, Bantam Books, Inc., 1987