All about stuttering in children: causes, treatment, home help

When to see a pediatrician or speech therapist

Be sure to check with your doctor if your child stutters, worries about it, and has a history of one of the following How To Help Stummering Child risk factors:

A family. A child runs the risk of stuttering into adulthood if the same problem is observed in one of his close relatives.
Age. Children who start to stutter before the age of 3, 5 will almost certainly outgrow this speech feature. If difficulties with speech appeared later, you should be wary.
Duration. If stuttering lasts more than 6 months, this is a clear indication for a visit to the doctor.
Other difficulties with speech and understanding. Stuttering can be one of the symptoms of more serious disorders - the same ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or minimal brain dysfunction.
Growing problem. If incidences of stuttering do not diminish as they get older, but become more frequent, this is a bad sign.
Associated movements. The child does not just stutter - his face twitches, he makes movements with his arms and torso as if he is trying to push the words out of himself.

It is also worth contacting a therapist or speech therapist if stuttering:

Causes anxiety or fear in the child. This will manifest itself in the fact that children will try to avoid situations when it is necessary to speak.
It prevents the child from communicating in the kindergarten or on the playground.

If you are faced with at least one of the points listed above, do not hesitate to visit a specialist. It is important. Although stuttering most often goes away on its own, it can sometimes be a symptom of extremely unpleasant and even deadly diseases.

Why does a child stutter

Here are the most common causes of How To Help Stummering Child in children.

1. Age and gender

As we said, it is natural to stutter for a while before the age of 5. With boys this happens 3-4 times more often than with girls.

2. Genetics

60% of people who stutter have a close relative who suffers from the same speech disorder.

3. Disorders of physical development

This can be, for example, congenital weakness of the speech apparatus (it includes the lips, tongue, palate, larynx, jaw and mouth ligaments and muscles). In this case, it is physically difficult for children to speak: they quickly get tired, begin to suffocate, do not have time to give the tongue and lips the position necessary for pronouncing a particular sound in time.

4. Illness and injury

Stuttering in children can be the result of:

intrauterine and birth trauma;
diseases and disorders in the work of the brain;
traumatic brain injury;
stroke (yes, it also happens in children, even in very young ones);
endocrine system diseases;
metabolic disorders.

4. Fear, stress and other psychological factors

This is perhaps the most well-known reason. You've probably heard at least once stories about a boy who started stuttering because he was frightened by a big dog. Or about a girl who watched an overly scary movie.

Fear is a really powerful factor in stuttering. This experience hits the nervous system, weakens it and thus triggers the speech failure mechanism.

But the nervous system is also weakened by other factors:

quarrels and conflicts in the family, in which children become involuntary participants;
lack of emotional contact with parents, the child's lack of confidence that he is loved;
non-observance of the daily routine, general household disorder of life;
traumatic events, for example, the loss of a loved one, a move, a sudden change in the usual environment;
excessive intellectual workload - if the mother is too keen on early development.

How to treat stuttering in children

It depends on the reasons. To establish them, the pediatrician will examine the child, look into the medical history, and ask the parents about the lifestyle, the situation in the family. In some cases, you will need to do urine and blood tests or be examined by a neurologist.

If the speech impairment is caused by any illness, the child will be sent to a specialized specialist who will help to cope with the underlying ailment. Also, perhaps the pediatrician will recommend contacting a psychotherapist.

However, a speech therapist still plays a leading role in correcting stuttering. This specialist will teach the child to breathe correctly, correct the rhythm and tempo of speech, and help strengthen the speech apparatus.

Most children get rid of stuttering with the help of a speech therapist. But for some, the speech impairment may persist, albeit in a smoothed form.

How parents can help children with stuttering

Parental support is very important in this case. It makes the child more confident, calms down, helps to cope with stress. And dad or mom can also set a good example of correct speech.

Here's what to do if your kids are stuttering.

1. Try to speak slowly and calmly, clearly articulating each sound

The child will unconsciously copy this manner of speech. Do not use syllables or chant - this is unnatural and will not help to cope with the problem.

2. Give children more listening than talking

Read books to your child more often and tell stories. This will help reinforce correct speech.

3. Listen carefully and sympathetically

Let the child know: you will patiently listen to him to the end, even if he stutters and cannot pronounce this or that word right away. Often, children, fearing that they will not be heard to the end, begin to rush - and as a result, the problem of stuttering is only exacerbated.

4. Do not scold or humiliate your child

"Now stop and repeat it normally!" "Think first, and then speak!" "Do not rush!" "Can you say it more clearly ?!" Adults often think that these phrases are for the good. But in reality, they only harm. First, they sound humiliating. Secondly, they cause anxiety and uncertainty in children, because mom or dad does not accept their speech. All of this increases stress.

5. Praise

It is more correct to praise children for their clear speech than to draw attention to stuttering. If you still need to correct your child, do it as gently and friendly as possible. And do not forget to immediately celebrate the slightest success with enthusiasm.

6. Maintain eye contact during every conversation

This will make the child understand that mom or dad is near and focused on communicating with him.

7. Follow a clear daily routine

This will make the child's life calm, predictable and (from his point of view) absolutely safe.

8. Limit gadgets and other irritants

Try to prevent your child from watching TV shows or Internet videos (cartoons) that unnecessarily excite or frighten him. Avoid turning on your TV or playing on your tablet before bed. Find a quiet alternative to the noise and running around. In general, do everything so that the child is not overexcited.

Calmness, predictability, confidence that loved ones love and support - that's what is extremely important in the period of struggle with stuttering. Provide your child with just such an atmosphere.