Does your little one get confused when speaking? Does he/she stutter? Shall we talk about stuttering?

Have you ever noticed that your little one sometimes stutters or repeats the same word multiple times? It's normal to feel a little scared and worried at times like that. You might be wondering, 'Why is this happening to my child? Is this a big problem?' So today, let's talk about this, or ' stuttering' as doctors call it, in a simple way that will clear up any doubts you may have.

What is stuttering?

Simply put, stuttering is a disruption in the smooth flow of speech. Doctors also call this dysfluency . You may have noticed that some young children, especially those between the ages of two and five, have:

• Repeating certain letters, parts of words, or even whole words. Imagine your son is trying to tell you something that happened at school, like, "A... a... Mom, I a... today..."
• Some letters are drawn out. Like "Mmmmmmm I'm here."
• When talking, it suddenly stops, there is no sound, and then it starts again.

Most of the time, children outgrow this habit by the time they are about five years old. That is, as they grow older and develop language skills, it gradually decreases. But for some children, it lasts a little longer. But there is nothing to worry about, there are good treatments to help with this. The most important thing is not to panic and to act with the right understanding.

Why do you stutter like this?

Doctors and scientists still don't know 100% for sure why this happens to only some children, but many believe that several factors contribute to it.

• A problem with brain messages: One is that there is a problem with the messages sent from the brain to the muscles and other parts of the body (e.g., tongue, lips) that are needed to speak, and there is a slight lack of coordination . It's like a radio that doesn't sound clear when the signal is distorted, or a car that stalls a bit when you start it. This is not due to any lack of intelligence or effort on the part of the child.
• Genetics: Another thing is that it is believed that this may be a genetic factor . Some studies have found that children who stutter have a parent, sibling, or close relative in their family who stutters are about three times more likely to have stuttered as a child. This means that there may be a genetic predisposition.

It is currently widely accepted that stuttering is caused by one or more of these factors.

What are the symptoms of stuttering? How do you recognize it?

The first signs of stuttering appear between the ages of 18 and 24 months. This is when children's vocabulary suddenly starts to grow, they start to put words together to form sentences, and express their thoughts. So when a child stutters at a time like this, it can be a little disconcerting and worrying for parents. It's reasonable to think, "Oh, what's wrong with my child?" But it's normal for children to stutter a little at this age. The most important thing is to be as patient as possible.

Some children may stutter for weeks or months. It can also come and go, then come back. Some days they may speak well, and other days they may stutter a little more. Many children who start stuttering before the age of five will get better without any help, such as speech therapy .

However, if your child stutters a lot, if it seems to be getting worse, or if there is a change in facial or body language when they stutter, it is a good idea to see a speech - language therapist around the age of three. The earlier you address this, the more likely it is that your child will be helped.

The impact on school-going children

Usually, stuttering decreases as children start school and their speaking skills improve. However, if a child continues to stutter during school age, he or she may be aware of the problem and may feel embarrassed or sad about it. Imagine how difficult it must be for him or her to stutter when he or she tries to answer a question in class or when he or she tries to talk to a friend and gets stuck on words. Sometimes, other children in the class, out of ignorance or mischief, may laugh at this and make fun of it. Because of things like this, the child may be afraid to speak anymore and try to distance himself or herself from society.

If this is happening to your child, talk to the teacher at school . The teacher can then explain this to the class and explain that stuttering is not something to be made fun of. The teacher can also reduce the amount of time your child has to speak and feel pressured (e.g., reading aloud in front of the class) until speech therapy begins.

When should we definitely seek help?

If your child is still stuttering after the age of 5, be sure to talk to your family doctor or a speech- language therapist. See a therapist right away, especially if you notice any of the following:

• If you try to avoid opportunities to talk (e.g., you are afraid to go to a store and ask for something, or you try not to answer when someone asks you a question)
• If you use a different word instead of one because you're afraid of stuttering. (For example, you say "drink" because you get stuck when you say "water").
• If there are jerks or other movements in the face or body (e.g., blinking, shaking the head, or fidgeting) when stuttering.
• If whole words and parts of sentences are repeated frequently and continuously.
• If letters and word parts are repeated frequently. (Example: "I-I-I-I-I")
• If you speak with great difficulty and pressure, as if you are struggling to get the words out.

Also talk to your therapist about these things:

• If your child's facial muscles tense or appear to twitch when they speak.
• A harshness in the voice, causing the pitch of the voice to rise, or if the volume seems to increase.
• If you have any other doubts or fears about your child's story.

In most cases, if stuttering persists for 6 months or more, many schools will provide the necessary tests and appropriate treatment . Therefore, it is a good idea to inform the teachers at the school about this as well.

How can we as parents help?

There are many things you can do to help your child in this situation. These can provide great comfort and build confidence in the child. Here are a few...

• Don't force your child to speak clearly and precisely all the time. Let speaking be a joy and a pleasure. Think about it, do we all speak grammatically correct all the time? No, we don't. Give your little ones that freedom too. Listen to what they are trying to say, and don't stop them because they are stuck for words.

• Make the dinner table a time for conversation. Reduce distractions like the radio and TV. When everyone is together and talking about the day's events and jokes, your child will be more likely to want to talk. Create a relaxed, pressure-free environment.

• Don't give advice or criticism like, "Speak slowly," "Don't worry," "Take a deep breath." No matter how well-intentioned you are, these things will only make the child think more about himself and feel more uncomfortable. He'll think, "Oh, I'm doing something wrong."

• When your child is having difficulty or stuttering is getting worse, don't force them to talk or read aloud. Instead, direct them to activities that don't require them to talk as much. Things like drawing, playing with toys, or looking at pictures in a book.

• Don't interrupt your child while they're talking or tell them to "start over." Doing so may make them feel like what they're saying isn't important and that they can't speak properly. Allow them to finish speaking at their own pace.

• Don't tell your child to "think before you speak." This will only add more pressure to the child. Storytelling should be a natural thing, not like solving a math problem.

• Create a peaceful, calm environment at home. Try to slow down the pace of family life a little. When everything is rushed and you shout, your child also feels the urgency and pressure.

• When talking to your child or to others in front of them, speak slowly and clearly. Your speaking slowly sets a good example for your child. This will help them get used to speaking slowly too. Speaking quickly can put pressure on your child to speak quickly too.

• Maintain eye contact with your child when you talk to them. Don't look away or act upset, sad, or impatient. This will make your child think they are doing something wrong and that you don't want to listen to them.

• Let your child speak for themselves, complete their thoughts and sentences. Don't interrupt them while they're talking or try to complete their words for them.

• Pause before answering a child's question or statement. This creates an atmosphere where the child can speak without feeling rushed.

• Speak slowly to your child. This takes some practice! Slowing down your speaking speed will help your child's speech become more fluent. Just like we speak slowly to a small child when we teach them to read, set that example for your child.

The most important thing is to let your child feel your love, support, and patience. No matter how he speaks, let him know that you value him. Pay attention to what he says, not how he says it.

So, what are the most important things we should take home from this story?

Okay, so let's remind you of a few things we've talked about that we think are important to you:

• Stuttering can be normal in young children, especially between the ages of 2-5, and in most cases it will get better on its own . So don't panic right away.
• However , if stuttering is frequent, increases, or if the child is uncomfortable with it, or continues to have it after the age of 5, it is very important to seek medical advice, especially from a speech therapist.
• Speech and Language Therapy is an effective treatment for this. It teaches the child various techniques and exercises to overcome the difficulties they face in speaking.
• As parents, your patience, support, and listening to your child are the greatest strength you can give your child on this journey. Your child needs to feel your trust.
• Let your child enjoy talking to you. Avoid criticizing or pressuring him. Keep the home environment relaxed.
• Your calm, loving response will go a long way in helping your child overcome this situation.

So, keep this in mind and be patient and loving with your little one. If there is any problem, don't be afraid to see a doctor or a speech therapist. They are ready to help you and your child.

` Stuttering, Children's Speech, Speech Therapy, Dysfluency, Parenting Advice, Speech Problems