Stammering

Stammering

Stammering is a diverse and broad subject. You might hear the term “stammering”, “stuttering” or “dysfluency”. They all refer to the same thing, but stammering can vary in severity from person to person, and from situation to situation. Someone might have periods of stammering followed by times when they speak relatively fluently. 

There are 2 main types of stammering: 

1. developmental stammering – the most common type of stammering that happens in early childhood when speech and language skills are developing quickly 
2. acquired or late-onset stammering – is relatively rare and happens in older children and adults because of a head injury, a stroke or progressive neurological condition. It can also be caused by certain drugs, medicines, or psychological or emotional trauma 

How can I tell my child has a stammer? 

As well as hearing the stammer you might see some additional aspects. These may be things the child has done to try to help with their stammer but becomes a habit. For example: 

1. Muscle tension around the eyes, nose, lips, neck, or in arms, legs, chest etc 
2. Extra body movements may occur as the child attempts to 'push' the word out: stamping a foot, shifting body position or finger tapping 
3. Avoiding eye contact during a moment of stammering. 
4. Breathing may be disrupted e.g. child may hold their breath while speaking or take an exaggerated breath before speaking. Generally, the flow of speech is unevenly disrupted, and this may cause distress to the speaker and the listener 
5. Some children may change a word they are having difficulty with and may show negative reactions to when their speech is difficult e.g. saying “I can’t say it” 

There are different speech and language therapy approaches that can help people who stammer to speak more easily. You'll work with a therapist to choose a suitable plan tailored to your child or you. 

This may involve: 

3. creating an environment where your child feels more relaxed and confident about talking 
4. strategies to increase fluency and develop communication skills 
5. working on feelings associated with stammering, such as fear and anxiety