How to deal with stuttering child
Stuttering - Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is made by a health professional trained to evaluate and treat children and adults with speech and language disorders (speech-language pathologist). The speech-language pathologist observes the adult or child speak in different types of situations.
If you're the parent
If you're the parent of a child who stutters, the doctor or speech-language pathologist may:
- Ask questions about your child's health history, including when he or she began stuttering and when stuttering is most frequent
- Ask questions about how stuttering affects your child's life, such as relationships with others and school performance
- Talk to your child, and may ask him or her to read aloud to watch for subtle differences in speech
- Differentiate between the repetition of syllables and mispronunciation of words that are normal in young children, and stuttering that's likely to be a long-term condition
- Rule out an underlying condition that can cause irregular speech, such as Tourette's syndrome
If you're an adult who stutters
If you're an adult who stutters, the doctor or speech-language pathologist may:
- Ask questions about your health history, including when you began stuttering and when stuttering is most frequent
- Rule out an underlying health condition that could cause stuttering
- Want to know what treatments you've tried in the past, which can help determine what type of treatment approach may be best
- Ask questions to better understand how stuttering affects you
- Want to know how stuttering has impacted your relationships, school performance, career and other areas of your life, and how much stress it causes
Treatment
After a comprehensive evaluation by a speech-language pathologist, a decision about the best treatment approach can be made. Several different approaches are available to treat children and adults who stutter. Because of varying individual issues and needs, a method — or combination of methods — that's helpful for one person may not be as effective for another.
Treatment may not eliminate all stuttering, but it can teach skills that help to:
- Improve speech fluency
- Develop effective communication
- Participate fully in school, work and social activities
A few examples of treatment approaches — in no particular order of effectiveness — include:
- Speech therapy. Speech therapy can teach you to slow down your speech and learn to notice when you stutter. You may speak very slowly and deliberately when beginning speech therapy, but over time, you can work up to a more natural speech pattern.
- Electronic devices. Several electronic devices are available to enhance fluency. Delayed auditory feedback requires you to slow your speech or the speech will sound distorted through the machine.
Another method mimics your speech so that it sounds as if you're talking in unison with someone else. Some small electronic devices are worn during daily activities. Ask a speech-language pathologist for guidance on choosing a device. - Cognitive behavioral therapy. This type of psychotherapy can help you learn to identify and change ways of thinking that might make stuttering worse. It can also help you resolve stress, anxiety or self-esteem problems related to stuttering.
- Parent-child interaction. Parental involvement in practicing techniques at home is a key part of helping a child cope with stuttering, especially with some methods. Follow the guidance of the speech-language pathologist to determine the best approach for your child.
Medication
Although some medications have been tried for stuttering, no drugs have been proved yet to help the problem.
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- Cognitive behavioral therapy
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Coping and support
If you're the parent of a child who stutters, these tips may help:
- Listen attentively to your child.
Maintain natural eye contact when he or she speaks. - Wait for your child to say the word he or she is trying to say. Don't jump in to complete the sentence or thought.
- Set aside time when you can talk to your child without distractions. Mealtimes can provide a good opportunity for conversation.
- Speak slowly, in an unhurried way. If you speak in this way, your child will often do the same, which may help decrease stuttering.
- Take turns talking. Encourage everyone in your family to be a good listener and to take turns talking.
- Strive for calm. Do your best to create a relaxed, calm atmosphere at home in which your child feels comfortable speaking freely.
- Don't focus on your child's stuttering. Try not to draw attention to the stuttering during daily interactions. Don't expose your child to situations that create a sense of urgency, pressure, or a need to rush or that require your child to speak in front of others.
- Offer praise rather than criticism. It's better to praise your child for speaking clearly than to draw attention to stuttering. If you do correct your child's speech, do so in a gentle, positive way.
- Accept your child just as he or she is. Don't react negatively or criticize or punish your child for stuttering. This can add to feelings of insecurity and self-consciousness. Support and encouragement can make a big difference.
Connecting with other people
It can be helpful for children, parents and adults who stutter to connect with other people who stutter or who have children who stutter. Several organizations offer support groups. Along with providing encouragement, support group members may offer advice and coping tips that you might not have considered.
For more information, visit the websites of organizations such as the National Stuttering Association or The Stuttering Foundation.
Preparing for your appointment
You'll probably first discuss stuttering with your child's pediatrician or your family doctor.
The doctor may then refer you to a speech and language disorders specialist (speech-language pathologist).
If you're an adult who stutters, you may want to search for a program designed to treat adult stuttering.
Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and know what to expect from your doctor or speech-language pathologist.
What you can do
Before your appointment, make a list that includes:
- Examples of problematic words or sounds, such as words that start with certain consonants or vowels. It may help to make a recording of an episode of stuttering, if possible, to play at the appointment.
- When the stuttering started, such as when your child said his or her first word and started speaking in sentences. Also, try to recall when you first noticed your child stuttering and if anything makes it better or worse. If you're an adult who stutters, be prepared to discuss what treatments you've had, current problems and how stuttering has affected your life.
- Medical information, including other physical or mental health conditions.
- Any medications, vitamins, herbs or other supplements regularly taken, including the dosages.
- Questions you'd like to ask the doctor or speech-language pathologist.
Some basic questions to ask the doctor or speech-language pathologist may include:
- What's causing the stuttering?
- What kinds of tests are needed?
- Is this condition temporary or long lasting?
- What treatments are available, and which do you recommend?
- Are there any alternatives to the primary approach that you're suggesting?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can have? What websites do you recommend?
Don't hesitate to ask other questions during your appointment.
What to expect from your doctor or speech-language pathologist
Your doctor or speech-language pathologist is likely to ask you a number of questions.
Be ready to answer them to reserve time to go over any points you want to spend more time on. You may be asked questions such as:
- When did you first notice stuttering?
- Is stuttering always present, or does it come and go?
- Does anything seem to improve stuttering?
- Does anything appear to make it worse?
- Does anyone in your family have a history of stuttering?
- What effect has stuttering had on your life or your child's life, such as school or work performance or social interaction?
By Mayo Clinic Staff
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Reviewed by: Julia K. Hartnett, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech & Language Therapy at Nemours Children's Health
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What Is Stuttering?
Many young kids go through a stage between the ages of 2 and 5 when they stutter. This might make them:
- repeat certain syllables, words, or phrases
- prolong them
- stop, making no sound for certain sounds and syllables
Stuttering is a form of dysfluency (dis-FLOO-en-see), an interruption in the flow of speech.
In many cases, stuttering goes away on its own by age 5. In some kids, it goes on for longer. Effective treatments are available to help a child overcome it.
What Causes Stuttering?
Doctors and scientists aren't completely sure why some kids stutter. But most believe that a few things contribute to it, such as a problem with the way the brain's messages interact with the muscles and body parts needed for speaking.
Many believe that stuttering may be genetic. Kids who stutter are three times more likely to have a close family member who also stutters, or did.
What Are the Signs of Stuttering?
The first signs of stuttering tend to appear when a child is about 18–24 months old. At this age, there's a burst in vocabulary and kids are starting to put words together to form sentences. To parents, the stuttering may be upsetting and frustrating, but it is natural for kids to do some stuttering at this stage. Be as patient with your child as possible.
A child may stutter for a few weeks or several months, and the stuttering may come and go.
Most kids who begin stuttering before the age of 5 stop without any need for help such as speech or language therapy.
But if your child's stuttering happens a lot, gets worse, or happens along with body or facial movements, seeing a speech-language therapist around age 3 is a good idea.
Usually, stuttering lets up when kids enter elementary school and start sharpening their communication skills. A school-age child who continues to stutter is likely aware of the problem and may be embarrassed by it. Classmates and friends may draw attention to it or even tease the child.
If this happens with your child, talk to the teacher, who can address this in the classroom with the kids. The teacher also might decrease the number of stressful speaking situations for your child until speech therapy begins.
When to Get Help
If your child is 5 years old and still stuttering, talk to your doctor or a speech-language therapist. Check with a speech therapist if your child:
- tries to avoid situations that require talking
- changes a word for fear of stuttering
- has facial or body movements along with the stuttering
- repeats whole words and phrases often and consistently
- repeats sounds and syllables more often
- has speech that sounds very strained
Also talk to the therapist if:
- you notice increased facial tension or tightness in your child's speech muscles
- you notice vocal tension that causes rising pitch or loudness
- you have other concerns about your child's speech
Most schools will offer testing and appropriate therapy if stuttering lasts for 6 months or more.
How Can Parents Help?
Try these steps to help your child:
- Don't require your child to speak precisely or correctly at all times. Let talking be fun and enjoyable.
- Use family meals as a conversation time. Avoid distractions such as radio or TV.
- Avoid corrections or criticisms such as "slow down," "take your time," or "take a deep breath." These comments, however well-intentioned, will only make your child feel more self-conscious.
- Avoid having your child speak or read aloud when uncomfortable or when the stuttering increases. Instead, during these times encourage activities that do not require a lot of talking.
- Don't interrupt your child or tell them to start over.
- Don't tell your child to think before speaking.
- Provide a calm atmosphere in the home. Try to slow down the pace of family life.
- Speak slowly and clearly when talking to your child or others in their presence.
- Maintain eye contact with your child.
Try not to look away or show signs of being upset. - Let your child speak for themself and to finish thoughts and sentences. Pause before responding to your child's questions or comments.
- Talk slowly to your child. This takes practice! Modeling a slow rate of speech will help with your child's fluency.
Reviewed by: Julia K. Hartnett, MS, CCC-SLP
Date reviewed: March 2022
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We have been helping children and adults for over 25 years
Stuttering is not only a lack of speech, but an etiopathogenetic and clinically complex painful process that develops in most cases in early childhood and, for many reasons, undergoes various changes over many years, and sometimes throughout the life of the patient.
It is better to treat stuttering in childhood, when the first symptoms appear, without allowing them to gain a foothold. Often success in treatment depends on the timeliness of treatment. And if the parents of a stuttering child do not hope for a “miracle” and the possibility that all the hesitation that has arisen is accidental and they will “resolve” on their own, there is a chance to save the child’s speech.
Seek help from your doctor if:
- - the child began to repeat a sound or a syllable, even a repetition of words may appear;
- - you heard long vowels at the beginning or end of a sentence;
- - pauses in the child's speech became longer;
- - there were situations where the child refuses to speak;
- - the formed phrasal speech was shortened;
- - there is a syndrome of "forgetting" already existing words.
At risk are children whose parents or parent stutter or have stammered. To cure stuttering in such children is a longer process, even with timely seeking help.
The presence of visible changes in speech is not always an indicator of the severity of the disease. After all, it is not the speech that needs to be treated, but the person. For children, the question is more about corrective measures that combine medical and pedagogical assistance. With timely treatment, as a rule, there is no need to prescribe serious drugs.
How to recover and not stutter if there is no way to show the child to a qualified specialist? First of all, do not be afraid and do not panic! Try to talk to your child slowly and less emotionally, normalize the stammering child's wakefulness and sleep patterns. Remember: these are supportive measures that will help alleviate the symptoms, not cure the child. Having gained time, select a specialized clinic and show the child to the doctor.
Healing from stuttering is possible at any age. In an adult stuttering person, the persistence of speech symptoms will be much greater, but a conscious attitude towards stuttering will make it possible to achieve a result in treatment. The treatment regimen in adults differs markedly from the treatment of stuttering children, as it is aggravated by secondary symptoms that are not observed in babies:
- - logophobia
- - vegetative-vascular symptoms
- - personal and psychological characteristics
Stuttering can be treated at any age if you get to a qualified and experienced specialist. Remember that STAuttering is a polymorphic disease state in which convulsive speech disorders are only an external symptom.
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Stuttering treatment programs at the Speech Development Center
Children
and a speech pathologist and psychotherapist.
In this case, it will be possible to get rid of stuttering faster and without the use of medicines.
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Schoolchildren
Correction of stuttering in schoolchildren, students in elementary grades, will rely on speech "exercises", the pronunciation of vowels and their combinations with consonants, practicing simple texts in motion.
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Adults
psychological stress during communication. Treating adult stuttering is a long process and requires patience.
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Online course
The author's method offered on the online platform, developed by specialists in the speech rehabilitation center, has been successfully used for more than 25 years in the treatment of stuttering.
Thanks to this course, it is no longer necessary to visit the Speech Development Center in St. Petersburg in person - with proper implementation of the recommendations of specialists, complete relief from stuttering is available anywhere in the country and even the world.
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Causes and treatment of logoneurosis
Logoneurosis is not the cause of stuttering, but its consequence. Contact qualified specialists as soon as you notice violations in the child's speech, because the sooner you start fighting them, the sooner the victory will be yours!
Why do people stutter: causes of stuttering in adults
Before we start talking about the causes of stuttering in adults, we should talk about what the term “stuttering” means.
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How to get rid of stuttering? Where to begin?
At the reception with a speech therapist
Heading consultant: teacher-speech therapist of the first category TOGBU "Regional Psychological-Medical-Pedagogical Consultation", E.A. Vyalova
How to get rid of stuttering? Where to begin?
Stuttering is a very serious test for a child, because it is an obstacle not only to the expression of one's thoughts and feelings, but also interferes with communication with other children. It is advisable to start correcting stuttering in early childhood and do everything possible to minimize its manifestations even before the start of schooling. The most ideal option is to go to an appointment with a specialist when the speech defect has only had time to manifest itself.
Where to start? First of all, it is necessary to determine the type of stuttering, because the plan of further actions will depend on it.
Logoneurosis, or neurotic stuttering occurs as a result of a traumatic situation in children prone to neurotic reactions that occur due to congenital characteristics of the nervous system (“breakdown” of the central nervous system in such children is not). For example, a naturally dreamy and sensitive melancholic baby or an excitable choleric fidget has a higher susceptibility to stuttering than a naturally calm phlegmatic. Also, this type of stuttering can occur against the background of a sharp increase in speech load, for example, when a normally speaking but timid 3-year-old melancholic baby is instructed to learn a poem or role that is too difficult for him at the moment for a children's matinee.
Neurosis-like stuttering, unlike the first type, occurs and grows gradually. It finally reveals itself when the child begins to speak in whole phrases. You can often notice that in addition to speech problems, such a baby lags behind both in physical and mental development.
A neurological examination of such a child will most likely reveal signs of a general lesion of the central nervous system, and they are the causes of stuttering in this case.
Who treats stuttering and how? Treatment of stuttering is ALWAYS complex, and it should be started only after passing a comprehensive examination.
If doctors decide that a child has a neurotic type of stuttering (logoneurosis), then the main specialist with whom you will have to contact will be a child psychologist. Its main tasks will be teaching relaxation methods, relieving muscle and emotional tension, increasing the child's emotional stability to stress, teaching parents how to effectively interact with the child, taking into account its properties of the nervous system, and choosing the best educational measures. Also, most likely, it will be necessary to take pharmacotherapy in the form of drugs that calm and relieve muscle spasms, which the neurologist can choose correctly. Of course, you will also need to work with a speech therapist.
In case of neurosis-like stuttering, it is more necessary to cooperate with a speech therapist, since this type of stuttering requires speech therapy assistance to a greater extent, which should be regular and long-term (at least a year). The main goal of a speech therapist is to teach a child to speak correctly. There will also be a dynamic observation by a neurologist, who, most likely, will prescribe a long-term complex drug treatment, ignoring which will not crown the speech therapy work with success. Psychotherapeutic assistance in this case does not play a leading role.
Working with specialists alone is not enough for a child to overcome stuttering. It is important to learn how to interact constructively with the child and create a calm, understanding atmosphere in the house, otherwise the work of specialists will go down the drain.
When communicating with your child, try to adhere to the following rules.
- Follow the daily routine, it helps to structure the anxiety.
- Give your child at least 8 hours of sleep at night.
- Get used to talking to your child slowly, in a low, calm voice. Express the same wishes to kindergarten teachers.
- Avoid raised tones and especially explosive intonations, harsh gestures.
- When a baby tells you something, do not push him or interrupt him.
- Show affection more often, support the child with tactile contact.
- Criticize less, praise even the smallest successes more often.
- Watch your mental balance, if you feel that you have become irritable for no reason, consult a psychologist.
Basic treatments for stuttering in children
Speech therapy classes
The task of speech therapy treatment is to release the speech of a stuttering child from tension, to eliminate pronunciation errors and to develop clear articulation and rhythmic, smooth, expressive speech. First, the child performs tasks together with a speech therapist, then independently exercises in an oral story.
The kid should consolidate the acquired skills in everyday conversation with others. The increase in the complexity of the exercises chosen for treatment depends on the degree of speech independence of the child.
Breathing exercises
Using the traditional method of treating stuttering in children, the voice becomes more natural and free. Exercise has a beneficial effect on the entire respiratory system. Thanks to the classes, the baby trains the diaphragm, forcing it to participate in the process of voice formation, learns to breathe deeply, makes the vocal cords more mobile, which makes it possible for them to close closely when talking.
Control of correct speech breathing: place your palm on the area between the chest and abdomen. When you inhale, the abdominal wall rises, the lower part of the chest expands. When exhaling, the muscles of the abdomen and chest contract.
Exercises for the development of speech breathing
1.
Stand straight. Exhale, and then inhale and start exhaling at the sound F. Make sure that your cheeks do not puff out - the exhaled stream comes out only through the gap formed by the teeth and lower lip. Inhale through the nose, while inhaling, the lips should be closed. Do the exercise three to four times in a row, make sure that the exhalation lasts at least eight to nine counts. Similarly, perform this exercise on the material of other consonants: С, Ш, Х, Ш, Zh.
2. Gradually lengthen the exhalation, first count on exhalation up to 5, then up to 10…
3. Over time, the count is replaced by pure words or short phrases.
Treatment with breathing exercises can be supplemented with relaxation.
Relaxation gymnastics ( muscle release) - the ability to voluntarily relax muscles is practiced through exercises that teach you to feel strong tension with subsequent relaxation. Duration of daily exercise 5-7 minutes 2 times a day.
Exercises for the muscles of the arms, legs, body, neck
“Tin soldiers and rag dolls”. To depict tin soldiers, stand up straight, clench your fingers into a fist, focus on tension in the muscles of the arms, legs and body. Sharp turns of the whole body to the right and left are made, the neck, arms and shoulders remain immobile. Feet on the floor are motionless. After doing a few turns, relieve tension by depicting rag dolls. Turn the torso sharply to the right and left, while the arms dangle passively, making circular movements around the body. Feet on the floor are motionless.
Icicle. From a squatting position, slowly rise up, imagining that the icicle is “growing”, raise your hands up and, standing on your toes, try to stretch as much as possible, straining your whole body - the icicle has “grown”. After the speech therapist’s command: “The sun warmed up and the icicle began to melt,” slowly lower your hands, relaxing your whole body, go down, sit on the floor, and then lie down, completely relaxed, “the icicle melted and turned into a puddle.
” Pay attention to the pleasant feeling of relaxation.
Exercises for facial and articulatory muscles
1. Tilt your head slightly back, tighten your neck muscles for 5-10 seconds, concentrating on this sensation. Drop your head forward relaxed.
2. Wrinkle the forehead, raising the eyebrows for 5-10 seconds, concentrating on the feeling of tension in the forehead.
3. Frown strongly for 5-10 seconds, concentrating on the feeling of tension between the eyes.
4. Close the eyelids tightly for 5-10 seconds, concentrating on the feeling of tension in them.
5. Clench your teeth for 5-10 seconds. Pay attention to how the tension spreads from the jaw to the temples.
6. Smile broadly and show teeth for 5 seconds. Pay attention to the tension in the cheeks.
7. Pull out the lips with a straw and blow for 10 seconds. Pay attention to the tension in the lips.
8. Press the tongue against the front teeth for 10 seconds, paying attention to the tension in the tongue.
9. Pull the tongue back for 10 sec. Tension should arise in the tongue, at the bottom of the mouth and in the neck.
10. Yawn easily, more deeply, very deeply. At the last yawn, close your eyes and stretch the muscles of your mouth and throat.
To obtain an optimal result, it is necessary:
- follow the sequence in relaxing the muscles of the arms, legs, body, neck and organs of articulation;
- feel and control the smoothness of the transition from tension to relaxation;
- perform movements slowly, rhythmically, without overworking;
- breathe freely during exercise.
This control will facilitate the transition to deep relaxation, resulting in the development of freedom of action and the ability to control the muscles.
Acupressure
The course of treatment with acupressure is selected depending on the complexity of the case. During the procedures, the specialist acts on the points located on the back, face, chest and legs.
