I am often asked by parents if they should seek therapy for their child’s stuttering. My answer is usually this, “It depends.” If your child is younger than 5, if he/she is getting stuck on syllables for example “mo-mo-mom” or “ca-ca-ca-ca-cat” (consonant and vowel are in the repeated sound) and they have been experiencing this for less than 6 months, I wouldn’t worry about it at this point. It is not uncommon for kids to have a “clumsy stage” with their speech. These typical dysfluencies are more common in boys and usually last no more than 5-6 months. However, if your child is older than 6 years, has had this dysfluency for more than 6 months or if any of the following characteristics are noted consult a Speech-Language Pathologist: 1. Experiencing an increase in the frequency of stuttering 2. Facial grimacing (blinking eyes, stain facial expression, nodding head, abnormal mouth movement, etc) 3. Getting “stuck” on one sound (e.g. b-b-b-b-ball or c-c-c-c-c-cat). If you have any questions at all feel free to contact us for a FREE consultation. At Enrichment Therapy and Learning Center, we are here to help.
Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center has locations in Johnston and North Liberty, IA, with virtual services also available. We provide individualized speech-language therapy, dyslexia and reading intervention, academic support, and executive functioning services to help children build skills and confidence. Contact us to learn more about how we can support your child.
0 Comments