Stuttering Awareness

May 1

In May, we draw attention to those who experience stuttering to help raise awareness about what it is and how parents can find therapeutic interventions to help their children with fluency at an early age. Most importantly, during National Stuttering Awareness Week (the second week of May), we want to help spread the message that those who stutter are not alone and should not feel isolated. The National Stuttering Association states that “surveys show that people who advertise their stuttering and talk about it openly encounter fewer stuttering-related problems at school or work.” You can join in to support stuttering awareness by spreading the word in your community and social circles.

What is Stuttering?

Stuttering is referred to as a disruption of speaking or the flow of speech and is considered to be a type of disfluency. A child may stutter in the form of repeating themselves, whether a word or a syllable, they may stop speaking abruptly, or they may carry out a sound or part of a word for a length of time. As kids learn how to speak, it is common for them to develop certain disruptions to their fluency and speech. Children who stutter will often stop stuttering with age and continued development. Because children learning to speak are processing so many new words and sounds along with how to articulate those words verbally, it is not at all uncommon for them to encounter some difficulties.

When stuttering occurs, it often creates additional tension and stress on children, particularly when they struggle while speaking. Without attention and understanding, kids can feel like hiding their disfluencies and may withdraw from activities and from speaking with others or on the phone. At times, other symptoms accompany stuttering such as blinking, nodding, or other body movements.

Why Does Stuttering Happen?

Although there are some indicators that can explain stuttering in an individual, there are many reasons stuttering can occur. Stuttering at the ages of two to six is common and may not require additional treatment depending on the severity and the symptoms. Those with family members who stutter often will begin to stutter themselves, so family history can be an indication. Another factor we can attribute stuttering to is simply the fact that our brains work differently. Some children may have differences in their brain development or activity and therefore may stutter or may not stutter. A helpful indicator of whether stuttering may continue after childhood is when it develops. Often, if stuttering develops in a child after about age three and a half, they are more likely to continue to have problems stuttering.

When to Seek Help for Stuttering

It is best to have a professional Speech-Language Pathologist assess your child as soon as you think you notice them stuttering (or as soon as possible). Early intervention is key to many aspects of childhood development and a Speech-Language Pathologist can help you understand the severity of stuttering that may exist. Because treatment is completely based on the individual, it can look different for different children. The factors that may impact treatment are how often they stutter, how they feel when they stutter, how those surrounding them react, their age, and the overall impact stuttering has on their life.

Speech Therapy for Stuttering

Speech-Language Pathologists can help children in many ways to manage their stuttering symptoms as well as reduce the anxiety that may accompany their communication with others. Treatment may include the use of assistive devices, engaging in fluency shaping strategies, or employing methods to reduce the physical tension and feelings associated with stuttering.

Tilton’s Therapy for Tots has an incredible team of Speech-Language Pathologists who work with the pediatric population in Southern Nevada, Northern Nevada, and Oregon regions. Because our team works in the mobile setting, treatment is done in the natural environment, often at home. If you are looking for a Speech-Language Pathologist in one of the areas we serve, get started by filling out a patient registration form.