General Information Regarding Child Stutters

By Leslie Ball


Stuttering or stammering is the name for a problem that people young and old might deal with. The term stuttering refers to a speech disorder that disrupts the normal flow of speech, often causing repetition, or the prolongation of syllables, words, phrases or sounds. There might also be blocks or pauses in the speech of a stutterer, which is often because they are unable to produce any sound. Guardians or parents who notice that a child stutters should get them diagnosed and helped as soon as possible.

There are certain markers that can be used to identify this disorder. In general, these are signs that can be observed in the breakdown of speech fluency. People with this problem are expected to repeat phrases, words, sounds or syllables. They might also communicate with blocks of silence and have prolongation of various sounds. These are not normally seen in people without a stammering issue. The severity of the disorder will differ by person and might even be inconsistent within an individual.

Stuttering may be difficult for people to handle, especially young kids. Children are often teased for things they cannot change and this is common for those with speech difficulty. Stutterers frequently experience feelings of guilt, shame, embarrassment, fear, frustration and anger all because of their speech problems. This may lead to a negative self-image and anti-social behaviors. Not wanting to communicate with others is problematic because social interaction is essential to the development of a child.

There is not a single cause for this disorder, only hypotheses and theories. Still, some evidence does point to the belief that it is linked to genetics. Children who have close family with stuttering problems have a higher likelihood of developing it. There are also many people who stammer and have no family history of this problem. The issue is expected to be more common in kids who have concomitant language, speech, learning or motor difficulties.

Before any type of treatment is provided, people need to be individually assessed to determine their condition. Sometimes stammered speech is difficult to diagnose because it requires the knowledge and skills of speech-language pathologists or SLPs. There is no absolute cure for most. Still, plenty of solutions can be used to help people maintain control over their speech.

Most treatments are centered on learning methods that help limit the stutter by regulation of breath, reduction of talk speed, and gradually working from single syllables onto long words and then complex sentences. Specific therapies are focused on limiting anxiety that might develop as a result of these communication troubles. Sometimes, the anxiety makes the stuttering even worse.

SLPs are ideal professionals to work with in these situations. They help patients in controlling and monitoring their speech. Those who learn to speak at a slower pace and without physical tension are more likely to see improvements in their stuttering. They might also learn new approaches to breathing, including those necessary for regulating it. Other options used for treating this disorder: diaphragmatic breathing, modification therapy, support, electronic fluency devices and medication.

Each person will require his or her own approach. It may take time for the results to show. People should remain optimistic and follow all instructions given related to treatment. Stutterers may face various obstacles in life, which is why proper diagnosis and help early on is important.




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