Prevent Stuttering

When a child starts to stutter usually occurs between 18 to 24 months.  This is around the time when they start to form sentences with words.  Some parents may feel uneasy about them stuttering during this time period.  However, it is a natural progression for young toddlers to stutter while they're still growing. 

In fact, the stuttering may not even last.  It may just be for a few weeks or a few months.  It may not be something that happens every day.  The majority of children that begin to stutter prior to turning five years old may only experience it for a time. 

After that, the stuttering goes away by itself.  There would be no need for any treatment or other therapy intervention.  On the other hand, if the child continues to stutter incessantly and they have facial or body movements, you may want to see a speech language therapist to give your child a thorough evaluation.

Other things that may prompt you to consult a therapist for your child include:

• Excessive repetitions of words and phrases
• Frequent, excessive repetitions of sounds and syllables
• Words become increasingly prolonged when trying to speak
• Forced or strained effort to speak
• Speech muscles tighten when trying to speak
• Higher pitch or being loud when trying to speak
• Tries to avoid times when the child should be talking
• Other unchecked concerns about the child's speech