What To Know When Child Stutters

By Leslie Ball


For many people, speech is the main way in which we communicate. Stammering or stuttering refers to a problem that people who are young or old might suffer with. The word stuttering is the medical term used to describe a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is interrupted, often resulting in prolongation of speech and repetition. Sometimes these people have pauses or blocks in their speech in which they are unable to formulate sounds. Parents or guardians who recognize a child stutters should get them diagnosed and treated promptly.

There are certain markers that can be used to identify this disorder. In general, these are signs that can be observed in the breakdown of speech fluency. People with this problem are expected to repeat phrases, words, sounds or syllables. They might also communicate with blocks of silence and have prolongation of various sounds. These are not normally seen in people without a stammering issue. The severity of the disorder will differ by person and might even be inconsistent within an individual.

Stuttering can be difficult for a lot of people, including young kids. Children may be teased for their speech difficulty. It is common for stutterers to experience feelings of frustration, anger, shame, guilt, embarrassment and fear because of their condition. This could make them develop a negative self-image and less interest in communicating with others. Social interaction is important to child development.

There is not a single cause for this disorder, only hypotheses and theories. Still, some evidence does point to the belief that it is linked to genetics. Children who have close family with stuttering problems have a higher likelihood of developing it. There are also many people who stammer and have no family history of this problem. The issue is expected to be more common in kids who have concomitant language, speech, learning or motor difficulties.

Before any type of treatment is provided, people need to be individually assessed to determine their condition. Sometimes stammered speech is difficult to diagnose because it requires the knowledge and skills of speech-language pathologists or SLPs. There is no absolute cure for most. Still, plenty of solutions can be used to help people maintain control over their speech.

Most treatments are centered on learning methods that help limit the stutter by regulation of breath, reduction of talk speed, and gradually working from single syllables onto long words and then complex sentences. Specific therapies are focused on limiting anxiety that might develop as a result of these communication troubles. Sometimes, the anxiety makes the stuttering even worse.

SLPs are the best professionals to work for on these cases. They aid patients with monitoring and controlling speech. People who can learn to speak slower and without any physical tension are expected to see improvements in their condition. They may also learn new techniques for breathing, including how to regulate it. Other solutions employed as treatment: modification therapy, electronic fluency devices, medication, diaphragmatic breathing and support.

Each person will require his or her own approach. It may take time for the results to show. People should remain optimistic and follow all instructions given related to treatment. Stutterers may face various obstacles in life, which is why proper diagnosis and help early on is important.




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