An important step in getting help for a child who stutters is to conduct some research on the topic, get some bona fide stuttering information, and separate fact from fiction. Some parents mistakenly believe that all children will outgrow their stuttering. However, this is not true of speech problems that persist for more than six months or alongside other symptoms like rapid blinking, facial twitches and muscle tensing. These parents may believe that the best way to treat it is to ignore it, yet if a parent does not address the situation, then other students will begin to tease the child, alerting him or her that something is wrong. The best approach is early intervention through local community programs if the stuttering lasts for more than a few months.
Stammering stuttering is a common type of disfluency that most kids have at some point while growing up and learning their words. Some stuttering in childhood is in the form of stop-and-go speak patterns or periods of quick speech followed by breathlessness. Their little brains seem to be working much faster than their mouths, causing a hodge-podge of verbiage to come spilling out. Some children may begin to stutter in nerve-wracking situations, such as before auditioning for a play, when asking someone on a date or if caught in a lie. Other times, a person who stutters may interject too many “ums,” “likes” or “uhs.” Usually, the stuttering speech disorder clears up or only emerges on rare occasion. However, a child who stutters for more than a few months may be in need of greater attention.
Occasional stuttering is common in kids ages 3-8, but there are other signs of child stuttering that may require parental intervention. For instance, a child may need a stuttering/speech program if he or she stutters in over half of all sentences, repeating each syllable 4 to 5 times and experiencing blockages where he or she cannot produce a sound. Stuttering often resolves itself within a few months, but in some cases, frustration and disappointment can lead to a continued slump of disfluency. Knowing what to do when a child is struggling can be the best help for a stuttering problem, experts say.
One of the most successful child stuttering programs for early interventions is the Lidcombe program, which boasts a 77% reduction in stuttering frequency for kids ages 3 to 6. After conducting randomized trials at the University of Sydney, Australia, Dr. Mark Onslow Ph.D. reported, “The reduction of stuttering in the Lidcombe program group was significantly and clinically greater than natural recovery.” His program emphasizes parental feedback in the household, with parents encouraged to sit down and share a meal or play a game together. Parents are given special 10 to 15 minute speech exercises to practice with their afflicted child, helping to instill self-assurance and create an atmosphere of comfort. Researchers warn that delaying stuttering treatment will naturally result in damaged self esteem, social apprehension and other cognitive consequences.
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