by Martina H. Costello, SLP
Speech Pathologist
May 7th to 13th is National Stuttering Awareness Week. Stuttering is such a unique and interesting disorder many people know very little about. Unfortunately, that leaves the disorder open to misunderstanding. Did you know that 68 million people worldwide stutter - which is about 1 % of the population? Additionally, about 5% of children stutter at some point in their lives, and it is two times more common in boys than girls. These statistics represents millions of people who are afflicted with this disorder that is often misrepresented and made fun of in television and movies.
Luckily we are seeing more and more awareness of what stuttering is. We are taking a more empathetic and understanding view of a disorder that can be very difficult for people who stutter as well as their families. If you haven’t seen ‘The King’s Speech’ it is worth watching as it portrays King George VI and how he had to deal with stuttering while being in a prominent public role.
So what is stuttering? It is a speech disorder where a person has difficulty with the smooth flow of speech. People who stutter know what they want to say, but have trouble saying it because the flow of their speech is disrupted. It may sound like this:
- Part or whole word repetitions: “m…m…m…mom” or “can…can…can I go?”
- Repeated phrases: “can I go….can I go….can I go outside?”
- Prolongations or stretched out sounds: “sssssister” or “whaaaaat”
- Blocks: moments where no sounds come out when the person is trying to speak.
Nobody knows the exact cause of stuttering. It is thought that stuttering may be related to brain activity that underlines speech production. We do know that stuttering can run in families. If a parent or relative stutters, a child has a higher chance of stuttering than someone whose parents or relatives do not. Low intelligence, emotional problems, parenting style, and personality type do not cause stuttering. However, anxiety and stress can make stuttering worse.
Most children begin stuttering between the ages of 2 and 5 years, when children start putting words together into short sentences. The onset of stuttering can be sudden or gradual and it is more common in boys than girls. Stuttering can range in severity over time and even throughout the day or week. Some children outgrow stuttering without needing treatment, but not all. It is not possible to know in advance whether or not your child will outgrow stuttering on their own. Therefore early intervention is best. If it is not treated it may become more severe over the years.
So what can we as parents, friends and educators do to help a child who stutters?
- Make sure to take time to listen to your child without distractions or competition from other family members. Listen to what he is saying versus how he is saying it.
- Let him finish his thoughts. Don’t finish words or sentences for him.
- Repeat or rephrase what your child says to show that you understood.
- Reassure your child if he or she is aware of stuttering and shows concern. Do not ignore the problem.
- Interact normally with your child. Don’t make intrusive comments in an attempt to fix or treat the stutter. Comments like, “take a breath, slow down, think before you talk” rarely help and can make a child feel more self conscious.
Contact a speech therapist if your child becomes self conscious or fearful about talking, if your child has stuttered for more than 6 months, and if your child is 5 years or older. You may also want to get help for your child if your child’s stuttering consists of significant blocks accompanied by extraneous body movement such as eye blinks, facial grimace, and avoidance of words or speaking situations. You can find our Speech Therapy programs by visiting Primary Children’s Pediatric Rehab website.
There are several great internet resources that can help educate you about stuttering. They include The Stuttering Foundation of America, The National Stuttering Association, and The Stuttering Home Page.
Stuttering is an often overlooked and severe problem, but with early intervention it often has a successful outcome. Of course, awareness is the key, and after reading this article, hopefully you will have a better understanding of this disorder.
