Between the age of 2 and 5, many children go through a period of hesitating with their words. The majority of them do naturally outgrow this normal non-fluency phase, but evidence shows that around a third of these children will develop persistent stuttering into adulthood.

This article outlines:

• The signs of stuttering
• The possible causes of stuttering
• What you can do to help your child if he/she is showing signs of stuttering
• Where to seek professional help

Speech Development

Nothing can describe the pride and joy of watching your child develop: the first smile, the first crawl, the first step and the first word.

Speech development, in particular, is one of the most rewarding experiences for parents to share with their children. An 18-month toddler would normally be able to use and understand about 20 words. Between 2 and 3 years of age, children go through a vocabulary explosion and are able to combine words to form short sentences. By the time a child is 4, a substantial part of spoken language development will have been established.

A child's flow of speech will not always be smooth, however. Many children go through a period of normal non-fluency between the ages of 2 and 5 when they are learning to speak. This non-fluency may take the form of the repetition of the first sound of a word (d-d-d-daddy), or of the first syllable (da-da-da-daddy ), or of the entire word (the-the-the cat).

The chances are that your child will not notice he is hesitating with his words, and the majority of children do naturally outgrow this non-fluency phase. However, studies show that for around a third of these children, this non-fluency phase will develop into persistent stuttering.

Signs of Stuttering

So how can you tell if your child is going through a normal non-fluency phase, or is beginning to develop a stutter which requires special help? Many parents of young children ask themselves this question. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are professionally trained to distinguish between the two and it is best to seek their advice if you notice any of the following:

• Your child shows regular signs of struggle and tension in his efforts to get a word out.
• Your child avoids saying certain words or inserts irrelevant or meaningless noises in his effort to say a word.
• A rise in pitch or loudness in a sound when he is trying to get a word out.
• Signs of tremor in the muscles around the mouth when your child is trying to say a word.
• Your child is troubled by his speech.
• If you notice that stuttering is more frequent when your child is tired, stressed or excited.
• You child shows fear of talking.

Act Promptly

Don't be too alarmed if your child does require the help of an SLP. The good news is that stuttering in children can be cured if the problem is caught before it has taken hold. With early intervention the child is normally able to learn to speak fluently again with no evidence of recurrence. Treatment at a later stage may assist the child in controlling the non-fluency but the stutter is more likely to persist into later life.

Possible Causes of Stuttering

It is unclear why some children develop stuttering but most experts agree the following factors may play a part:

• Some children have a genetic predisposition to stuttering, although no-one is sure what triggers it.
• Heredity - a child with stuttering in the family appears to be 3 times more likely to develop the problem.
• Linguistic ability (the child’s ability to put words or sentences together).
• Motoric ability (the child’s ability to move the muscles in his mouth in order to speak).

What is fairly certain is that children do not learn to stutter through imitation. Neither is stuttering the result of bad parenting. And boys are more likely than girls to suffer from stuttering.

What You Can Do To Help

If you notice your child is going through a non-fluency phase, there is a lot you can do to prevent it from developing into persistent stuttering.

• Encourage conversation : Arrange a time each day to sit down and talk with your child. Give him your full attention in a relaxed atmosphere. Keep the subject matter fun and keep your sentences short and simple. Show you are interested in what he says, not how he says it.
• Don't correct your child's speech : Don't say anything disapproving such as "Stop that stuttering" or "What are you trying to say." Don't correct his pronunciation or grammar during this difficult phase. Ask your friends, other family members and babysitters not to correct his speech.
• Don't interrupt your child's speech : Resist the temptation to try to complete the sentence for your child. Give him ample time to finish what he wants to say and don't allow siblings to interrupt.
• Don't tell him to "slow down" : Telling your child to slow down, take a deep breath, or think about what he wants to say first may seem helpful but can actually be quite damaging. Once your child is aware that his speech may not measure up, it will become a source of tension.
• Don't draw attention to his speech : Normal non-fluency that is not causing your child any discomfort should be ignored. However, if your child is upset, reassure him that his speech will get easier and his difficulties with words will disappear. Don't discuss your child's speech problem in his presence.
• Don't ask your child to practice a certain sound or word : This will only make the child more self-conscious of his speech.
• Avoid a hectic and rushed lifestyle : Children respond well to a routine and structured environment at home and at school. Allow enough time for him to get through his day without pressure.

Professional Help

If you suspect that your child is developing a stutter despite all your support, the National Stuttering Association (http://www.nsastutter.org) can help. The organization offers information, help and support to those who stutter, as well as their families and friends. It helps raise awareness and understanding of stuttering from both a public and professional perspective. Their "Preschool Children Who Stutter" booklet provides helpful advice for parents and family members who are concerned about their children's speech. It details current information about stuttering and discusses a variety of treatment options that are available to children who stutter.

The NSA can also provide you with details of stuttering specialists in your area . Stuttering specialists are speech-language pathologists who have been recognized by the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders (http://www.stutteringspecialists.org) as having achieved advanced training and clinical skill for working with people who stutter and their families. A list of board-recognized specialists in fluency disorders can be found on the SBFD website.

If there is no board-recognized specialist in your area, the NSA can still work with you to find the help your child needs. The NSA maintains a list of clinicians who have demonstrated their commitment to helping children who stutter, either by participating in the NSA's continuing education program or by attending an NSA annual convention.

Last Word

Remember, early intervention is the key to preventing persistent stuttering. So if your child is having speech problems, don't just ignore them and hope for the best. Help him speak out.