Is my child stuttering? How to ID RED FLAGS VERSUS TYPICAL DISFLUENCIES IN YOUR CHILD’S SPEECH.
“My dog – my dog – my dog – my dog – is getting so big!” You may be wondering, how much of that is typical in your child’s speech? The information below will help to provide you with some clarity in determining whether your child’s fluency skills are characteristic of their age/stage of development, or if there are red flags present for stuttering.
What is Disfluency?
A disfluency is anything that interrupts the forward flow of speech. We as human beings, are naturally disfluent. Within every person’s speech, children and adults alike, disfluencies are present. As adults, we become aware of these disfluencies during events that may cause anxiety or excitement, such as during a speech, interview, or something alike. Some types of disfluencies are typical/developmentally appropriate, while some may be indicative of something more significant, such as a fluency disorder, also known as stuttering.
What are typical disfluencies?
Typical disfluencies include repetitions of whole words (my – my sister is five years old) or phrases (I want – I want– I want a cookie). They also include interjections such as, (um, like) and revisions (I went to the – I saw a chicken at the farm). With typical disfluencies, the speaker does not demonstrate physical characteristics of difficulty (e.g. secondary characteristics of stuttering), such as increased tension in their face or body, eye blinking, head nods, etc., nor is it impeding their ability to effectively communicate their message.
What is Developmental Disfluency?
From two to five years of age, children are learning language at a rapid pace. During this time, children may have periods of increased disfluency, sometimes referred to as “preschool stuttering”. Preschool stuttering consists of typical disfluencies outlined above. If your child is using mainly typical disfluencies in their speech, is not showing or communicating negative feelings about their speech, and does not appear to be physically struggling to complete their sentences, then it is likely typical and not cause for concern at this time.
Stuttering
If a fluency disorder or “stuttering” is present, it can lead to breakdowns or difficulties in communication, which can impact your child’s ability to effectively communicate.
What are some red flags for stuttering?
Your child has been stuttering for more than 6 months
Your child has a language/speech delay
Your child avoids certain words
There is a family history of stuttering present
Your child is repeating sounds (b-b-b-ball) or syllables (break-break-fast) in addition or instead of words and phrases
Your child is prolonging sounds (sssssoup)
Your child has periods of time when they are trying to speak, but no words are coming out, otherwise known as blocks.
Your child appears to be tense or struggling while talking, or presenting with secondary behaviors present (i.e. blinking eyes, changing pitch or volume, grimacing)
Your child has negative feelings regarding their speech
Your child is avoiding speaking in general or speaking in certain situations
Your child began presenting with significant disfluencies after three and a half years of age
Answering yes to any of these red flags? Now is a good time to book an initial consultation or schedule an evaluation with a speech language pathologist who will provide your family with tips to encourage fluency, or recommend intervention as necessary. At SG Speech Therapy we offer services both in-person, and virtually via teletherapy in the state of California from the comfort of your home.
What you can do to help your child today:
Encourage your child to speak as often as they want, even if they are stuttering
Be fully accepting of stuttering in your child’s speech
Slow down your own rate speech
Allow them to finish their sentences/thoughts
Talk to your child about stuttering and how it makes them feel
Ensure that all family members are reacting positively to stuttering
Encourage turn-taking during communication and respecting the importance of listening
Maintain eye-contact with your child while they are speaking/stuttering
If in doubt, seek support
In the meantime, visit The Stuttering Foundation’s website for tips for talking with your child.
Please contact our office if you wish to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your child’s speech.
With Love,
SG SPEECH THERAPY