It can be concerning when your child starts to repeat themselves, but not all repetitions are considered a stuttering or disfluency disorder. Below are some of the identifiable signs of stuttering and what you can do if you see them in your child.
Signs:
- Repetitions of the initial sounds in words “f-f-f-f-an” for “fan”
- Stretching or elongation of the a sound “bbbbbbb-barn” for “barn”
- Difficulty getting words out as if the word is stuck in them (usually accompanied by frustration)
- Stuttering that occurs for greater than six months
What caregivers can do:
- Be patient and give your child the time & space to talk
- Avoid interrupting, stopping, or telling your child to slow down while the are speaking and do not fill in their speech for them
- Contact us to schedule an assessment