Stuttering is a speech condition in which you repeat the same sound or syllable, such as 'c-c-c-car'. It is also when you pronounce the particular sound of a word for a long period of time. For example, pronouncing the word dog as 'dogggg'.
Stuttering can differ from person to person in terms of the severity of their stutter as well as the situation in which they stutter. It is common for people to have periods in which they stutter and then a long period of time in which they speak fluently.
Stuttering can also differ from day to day. Sometimes you may find that you're more fluent and others where you continuously stutter. Feelings of stress or excitement can cause you to stutter more.
As of currently, there are two main types of stuttering that have been discovered. The two types are:
Developmental Stuttering: This is the most common type of stuttering. It usually occurs during early development in your childhood in which you develop your speech and language abilities. During this development, it is possible to develop a stutter.
Acquired or late-onset stuttering: This form is stuttering is rarely found compared to developmental stuttering. It can occur in older children and adults as a direct result of a stroke, injury to the head or a long-term neurological condition. Additionally, it can also be triggered by certain medications and drugs, as well as psychological trauma.
From a scientific perspective, it is difficult to find the root cause of why a child may begin to stutter during early development. Research has found that it can be inherited through genes and is often developed based on the speech areas of your brain. It is also found that boys tend to be more prone to stuttering than girls.
Stuttering typically begins between the ages of 2-6. Any form of stuttering that lasts more than 6 months may need professional therapy.
If you find that your child stutters, it is important to look into getting help from our SpeechAim team as early as possible. This will help minimize any potential long-term speech difficulties.
Signs that your child may need a speech-language pathologist are, but not limited to:
At SpeechAim, our stuttering therapy involves improving communication between different areas of the brain, and between the brain and the muscles responsible for speaking.
Our sessions are designed to help your child construct simple sentences, in order to develop the speech areas of their brain. They are designed to help co-ordinate the different systems in the brain to prevent repetitions and stoppages.
As the brain continues to develop, some of these problems resolve or the brain is able to compensate, which is why many children "grow out" of stuttering. However, it is important to have therapy beforehand, in order to prevent stuttering carrying on to later life.
At SpeechAim, we will tailor your treatment plan depending on your age, how stuttering impacts your everyday life, how much stuttering occurs etc. Your wellbeing is in our best interest. Our patient and compassionate speech-language pathologists will provide you with the best support to guide you through this, perhaps, unfamiliar process.
We believe that our therapy sessions do not end during our sessions but can be continued at home. We provide recommendations and activities to further help prevent stuttering at home such as:
Take-turn talking games: These are simple conversations, in which you and your child take turns talking to one and other in short sentences. It helps develop their ability to understand the points you are making, as well as present their own in quick succession.
Reading books with your child: We advise reading small books with your child to develop their understanding of the way in which words work as well as their ability to understand spoken and written language in general.
Talk about feelings: Talking about feelings with your child is a great way to develop understanding of how to create and maintain a conversation. You can talk about the thoughts and feelings of characters within a book, or how your child has felt throughout the day. All of which will help them to gain a greater understanding of how to use spoken language.
All of our therapists are available around the clock whenever you need them. At home, at school or in the workplace. For more information, or to schedule an appointment please contact us below.