SEEK HELP FOR STAMMERING

If you are the parent of a child who stammers, then this is for you. Firstly, don’t ignore the condition completely, but equally, don’t get too stressed about it. It is not unusual for a child between the age of two and five to go through a temporary period of stammering, as this is a crucial time of speech and language development. This stammering may last a few weeks or extend to a few months. Your child will most likely outgrow this period, but there are cases where the stammering persists into adulthood. You need to be vigilant, and address the situation appropriately.

There is no clear reason or cause for stammering in a child, but a variety of factors could contribute to it. Some of these are:

Genetics: Around 60% of all people who stammer have a close family member who also stammers.

Developmental years: Some young children go through a period of stammering that commences when they are around 18 months, and lasts to around 2 years, as they develop and sharpen their speech and language abilities. This stammering is usually temporary.

Neurological factors: Research has shown that people who stammer process language differently from those without a speech disorder. Scientists think that this could be due to a problem in the way language is transmitted through the brain.

There are many parents who are reluctant to seek professional help when their child’s stammering persists over a period of time, but it is important to know that you need to have the condition evaluated and treated. Some parents don’t want to increase their child’s self-consciousness over the condition, but experts advise that if your child has been stammering beyond the age of 3 years, then you need to seek the help of a Speech Therapist. Your child’s problem can be significantly alleviated and even eliminated if you seek appropriate treatment without delay.