by Cindi Rill

Created on: October 24, 2008   Last Updated: October 30, 2008

Stuttering in children is a normal behavior. It usually occurs between the ages of two and five. Stuttering is also known as disfluency. Experts believe that stuttering is genetic. Studies have shown that people that stutter, process language differently. This is neurological in nature. Sixty percent of children who stutter have a relative who stutters also. It is only considered abnormal if the stuttering lasts more than five or six months.

When your child stutters, you need to be patient when he is talking. When children stutter, it is usually caused by stress, such as going to a new daycare provider or something amiss at home, etc. A fascinating fact is, stuttering is more common in boys and they are three to four times more likely to stutter than girls.

Do not interrupt a stuttering child when they are speaking. It confuses them and exacerbates the problem at hand. It is also important not to correct your child when he stutters. It makes them feel insecure. Encourage them to read out loud and practice certain words. Do this only if the stuttering does not increase.Talk slowly and clearly to your stuttering child. It may also teach him to slow down when he is speaking.Others should not correct the child.

When a child stutters for the first five or six months, it is called "pseudo-stuttering". If this occurs past six months. Then an evaluation by a speech therapist is warranted. To have a stuttering child, can be a frightening and alarming experience. Stuttering therapy focuses directly on the child's speech. True stuttering is more common than pseudo-stuttering. True stutterers may develop a fear of speaking because they are aware that they stutter.

Before a stuttering child can begin therapy a visit to the Speech Pathologist is the normal scenario. Parents should be actively involved in therapy. Therapy is usually short-lived if there is an early approach, as well as, in the stuttering child's home close attention is paid to the therapists orders. Immediate attention is truly the best goal for treating your child successfully. It is harder for adult stutterers to unlearn their problematic speech. Therapy should boost your child's confidence as he or she learns to manage stuttering and improve speaking skills.

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