Stuttering is characterised by a repetition of sounds, syllables, or words, lengthening of sounds; and tensions in the muscles of the face known as blocks.

Example of types of stutters:

• Repetition of the first sounds in words: C/c/c/come
• Repetition of words: take/ take/ take
• Lengthening of a sound: Sssssssssame

The exact causes of stuttering are unknown. “There are four factors most likely to contribute to the development of stuttering: genetics (approximately 60% of those who stutter have a family member who does also); child development (children with other speech and language problems or developmental delays are most likely to stutter); neurophysiology (recent neurological research has shown that people who stutter process speech and language slightly differently than those who do not stutter); and family dynamics (high expectations and fast- paced lifestyles can contribute to stutter).” (http://www.stutteringhelp.org/faq)

Stuttering often starts in children between 2-4 years of age. Most children will recover from their stutter over time (normal disfluency). About one- quarter of them will develop a stutter. Early intervention is important for diagnosing and implementing strategies to manage the stutter.

It is important to remember that stuttering does not affect the child’s development. If your child has recently started repeating words, try not to draw his/ her attention to it. This could just be a normal dysfluency possibly due to his/her language rapidly developing. However if his/ her stuttering prolongs for more than a few weeks or if it is getting worse, contact a speech pathologist to discuss your concerns.

Written by Tasneem Abdul Samad, Speech Pathologist.