Stuttering

What is Stuttering? 

Stuttering is the disruption in the rate and fluency of speech, by any one or a combination of the following speech behaviors:  repetitions of sounds, whole-word repetitions, sound prolongation, tense pauses, blocking, and use of interjections and filler words. Secondary characteristics may also be observed, such as grimacing, head nodding, or blinking of the eyes.

Will My Child Outgrow Stuttering?

Many young children go through normal episodes of developmental disfluencies, which can also be called developmental stuttering. A high percentage of children, 75-85%, will naturally recover from stuttering within a three-year period. It is not uncommon for preschoolers to stutter for a short time, and more often than not they will “outgrow” it. If you are worried about your child’s disfluencies, there are four strong indicators that can help you decide if the stuttering may be more of a lasting problem.  

• Is there a family history of stuttering? A genetic link has been found in this speech disorder, so if Grandpa stuttered, this could be a risk factor in long-term stuttering. 
• Consider the gender of your child. Boys stutter more than girls; in fact, males struggle with stuttering four times as often as females do. 
• How long has your child been stuttering? If your child has been stuttering now for more than six months, the speech behaviors may develop into “true stuttering.” 
• The last strong indicator of a long-term stuttering problem is if the number of speech disfluencies remains stable or increases within a twelve-month period. If your child’s speech is becoming more fluent within a one-year time period, this is a good indication of natural recovery. (Yairi and Ambrose 2005.)
   

If you are concerned that your child is of preschool age and is beginning to stutter and would like an expert opinion, TalkKing can help. If your child has been stuttering for a year or more and you would like him to receive speech therapy to improve speech fluency, TalkKing has specialized training to treat your child or teen.

Can Adults Learn To Speak Fluently If They Stutter?

Adults can learn strategies to improve speech fluency and minimize stuttering in their speech. Learn how to modify or prevent a stuttering behavior that persists in your speech. Explore attitudes towards stuttering and discover how your efforts to eliminate all stuttering from your speech may in fact be making it worse. With some effort, all clients, young and old, can reduce stuttering moments in natural speech and achieve forward moving speech with less fear. Call for a consultation to see how TalkKing can help you with a treatment plan to improve your speech.

TalkKing is a Provider of the SpeechEasy Device

SpeechEasy is a combination of proven technology and techniques which can be used to reduce stuttering. Worn in one ear and similar in appearance to a hearing aid, SpeechEasy has helped thousands increase their ability to communicate effectively and confidently. The program that comes with every SpeechEasy is supported by a team of fluency professionals who truly care about your success.