Stuttering is a well known form of dysfluency, or speech interruption, and is common among children who are just learning to speak. Prior to the age at which a child begins school, it may not be uncommon for a few weeks or months in a row to be marked by a mild stutter, even recurrently. This is because the child, even if fully able to speak, has not yet accustomed his or her muscles and brain to speaking in the way an adult has. This is a normal part of growth, and has been known to affect a great portion of children at some time or another during their developmental stages.
Stress and other pressures are the main short-term triggers for stuttering. A situation in which a child is not comfortable, such as a large group of people, especially people expecting the child to talk, may lead to stuttering or altogether silence. If stuttering seems to continue past situations that may make the child uncomfortable, consider whether other stressors in your child's life have been greater in the past weeks or months. These might include moving, a family change or crisis, or other events that would effect the atmosphere of the child's daily life.
As a rule, stuttering and other forms of dysfluency tend to disappear around the age children enter school because their level of social interaction increases greatly while they are more and more frequently challenged to speak in front of small groups. If stuttering becomes severe or persists throughout the first year of school, it may be that your child has a dysfluency that exceeds the norm, and he or she may need help from a speech therapist or other professional. Often, schools have or have access to such people who can help students to cope with their stutter, and who can help them learn to overcome it.
If your child struggles with his or her stutter or other dysfluency, especially to such a point that he or she shows straining of the facial muscles or rises in pitch with subsequent phrase repetitions when speaking. These are usually signs of frustration and greater inability to overcome the dysfluency on one's own. A speech therapist can often help a child to relax and thereby speak more fluently, while becoming more accustomed to frequent speech.
It is important, especially while your child is overcoming his or her dysfluency, that one create an environment in which he or she is comfortable in speaking, even when it doesn't always come out perfect. Don't correct your child excessively when it is likely that he or she knows of the problem. Avoid offering excessive advice, no matter how well-meaning, as you may make your child more uncomfortable, knowing that he or she is speaking improperly. Try to avoid situations where your child may embarrass his or herself, and speak with his or her teachers to be sure that everyone involved in your child's well-being is aware of the problem and the efforts being undergone to treat it.
