Stuttering

Stuttering is a disorder that affects the fluency of speech. It is a speech disorder where the person knows what he/she wants to say but at the time may be unable to say it. There are different types of stuttering which include:

  • Repetition of sounds, words or phrases (eg. I I I I I can do it)
  • Prolongation of sounds (eg. Where’s my sssssister?)
  • Blocking; moments where no sounds come out when the child is trying to speak.
  • People who stutter may also develop non-verbal movements associated with their stutter (eg. head movements, blinking, and facial grimacing).

When does stuttering start

Most children begin stuttering between the ages of 2 and 5 years, when their speech and language skills go through a developmental burst.

When should I seek help for my child who stutters?

  • If a stutter in a child who is 2-3 years old and persists for 10 – 12 months or more then you should seek advice as soon as you can.
  • For a child that may have developed a stutter for any period of time and is 4-5 years old, we would recommend you seek advice from speech pathologist as soon as possible.

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