Early Years Toolkit

Stammering

Learning to talk is a very complex process. Up to 8% of children will stammer at some point, most often between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. This tends to be at a time of rapid language development when children are learning lots of new words, and using longer sentences and more complex grammar, which places a higher demand on their speech system which is still developing.

Stammering (also known as stuttering or dysfluency) can present in different ways. You may notice your child doing the following:

  • Repeating single sounds, syllables or whole words (e.g. ‘D-d-d-daddy’, ‘Can, can, can, can I have a turn?’).
  • Stretching sounds out (e.g. ‘I like that sssssong’).
  • Blocking sounds, where words appear stuck altogether and no sound comes out initially (e.g. ‘---Look’).

Some children may show signs of tension in the face or body as well, or they may run out of breath whilst talking. Some young children are unaware that they are stammering, and others may find it frustrating or they may opt out of talking when they feel uncomfortable. A child’s fluency can vary over time and in different situations. Sometimes they may stammer a lot one day and very little the next day. Their stammering may vary depending on the situation (e.g. at home or nursery, when talking to family or strangers, when in busy or relaxed environments, etc.) and you may
notice your child stammering more often when they are excited, tired or upset.

Most children will go on to talk fluently; a smaller number will continue to stammer into adulthood. We can’t easily identify which children will stop stammering and which will continue but, regardless, there are lots of helpful things you can do to support your child. Stammering only starts to become a problem if the child develops negative thoughts and feelings associated with it. There are many successful, happy people who don’t let their stammer hold them back!

Strategies for stammering:

  • Focus on what your child is saying rather than how they are saying it.
  • Give your child time to speak and try not to finish their words or sentences. Listen patiently and wait for them to finish what they want to say.
  • Show that you are listening. Maintaining natural eye contact and getting down to your child’s level can show that you are relaxed and you are listening.
  • Make sure that everyone takes turns to talk without interrupting each other.
  • Slow down your own talking. This may mean taking more pauses before you speak. This helps to show your child that there is no rush.
  • Avoid telling your child to ‘slow down’, ‘take your time’ or ‘start again’. Instead, you could say things like ‘I’m listening’ or ‘We have plenty of time’.
  • Try to reduce the number of questions you ask. Making comments instead, and keeping your sentences short and simple, can help reduce talking demands.
  • Try setting aside a few minutes each day when you can give your child your full attention in a relaxed way. Let your child choose something to do together during these 5 minutes of Special Time.
  • Praise your child’s great ideas and their communication in general, regardless of whether they stammer or not. For example, ‘That’s a great word’, ‘What an interesting story’, ‘I really liked the way you explained that’.
  • It’s normal for parents to feel anxious when a child starts stammering but try to remain calm and relaxed. Be mindful of the language you use around the child, e.g. avoid using words like ‘bad’ as in ‘His stammer’s really bad today’.
  • If your child gets frustrated or is avoiding talking, be supportive and talk openly to reassure your child. If appropriate, you might want to say something like ‘It’s ok, I’m listening’, ‘I can see talking was a bit bumpy then’, ‘Don’t worry, talking can be tricky sometimes and you’re still learning’.

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