My DS is 32 months and over the last week or so has gone from a very occasionally stuttering at the beginning of sentences to really struggling to start sentences with a vowel etc. I wonder if any of you have had any experiences with your DCs like this? I know he is the prime age for this to happen and he has also very recently hugely expanded his vocab. We are not pointing it out to him at all and he seems to carry on as normal (I feel this is the right thing to do or he will think something is wrong)
It is very severe very suddenly and to be honest DH and I are freaking out a bit as he is barely able to make himself understood at times - he was a brilliant talker with big vocab for his age and now he is struggling 
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Behaviour/development
My DS has suddenly started stammering!
15 replies
fluffymindy · 28/04/2013 13:53
OP posts:
forgossake ·
28/04/2013 14:13
My DS developed a stutter at the age of 3. Like your DS, it seemed to progress from mild to severe overnight and it could take him a couple of minutes to say a short sentence.
We have tried to ignore it ( a lot harder than it sounds) but it is heartbreaking to hear him struggle to communicate. This started back in January ( coinciding with him starting nursery) and we are now waiting for an appointment with a S&L therapist. We asked nursery to refer him.
BUT....during the last week or so, the stammer/ stutter has almost completely disappeared! Trying not to get our hopes up, but it has improved so incredibly quickly
It is hardly noticeable now.
So try not to worry too much and carry on 'ignoring' the stutter in front of your DS. Maybe see if you can get him referred and with any luck it will just disappear on its own.
Queenofknickers ·
28/04/2013 14:49
Hi fluffy my DS1 started to stammer overnight when he was 2. I was very alarmed and it was so unexpected as we don't have any other people with stammer in the family and it is often hereditary.
As a parent i have found that information is power - the Michael Palin Centre for Stammering Children has a fab website and so does the British Stammering Association - they will send you an info pack and have a helpline.
For some children it is "just a phase" and the number of children who go on to live with stammer in adulthood is a small percentage. Early speech therapy is thought to help - but this is one of the areas that has been massively cut in recent years. There is also loads you can do as a parent from slowing g your own speech to encouraging turn taking in chats and having 121 time. (All in the leaflets/website)
My DS1 is 9 now and yes, he stammers. It comes and goes, he can be perfectly fluent and then get tired and its back. However we taught him from an early age that WHAT he has to say is so important that a stammer doesn't matter. We have used the examples of Winston Churchill, Ed Balls, King George etc. We have given info packs to his teachers, cub scouts, rugby coaches and helped him practice responses to (often totally innocent ) enquiries from other children. We have educated grandparents on what is/isn't helpful.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish he didn't stammer. Coming to terms with it myself and the fear of the future (will he be able to cope with a job interview? Is it my fault?) has been hard. However its all about attitude - My son stood in from of the whole school and read a passage at Christmas and every single teacher had a tear in their eye. He read it perfectly but that wasn't the point - he read it knowing he might stammer, caring very much if he did, but being brave enough anyway.
Please feel free to PM me if you want. The organisations above are really good in my experience and should be able to give you lots of info. Lots of love to you and your DS
forgossake ·
28/04/2013 16:59
I know exactly what you mean fluffy It is so hard listening to them struggling with their words, especially when they have used the same words fluently in the past. The urge to help them is unbearable sometimes. My DS is one of 4 and I have had to educate his big brothers as they also have a natural instinct to help him finish his sentences. But we have persisted with it and patiently sit there and let him finish words in his own time.
I believe the usual advice is to see someone if the stammer lasts more than 6 months and it has been nearly 5 months since DS started with this so fingers crossed that this phase is coming to an end.
I agree with you that their mouths can take a while to catch up with their brains. Please don't worry too much, you sound as if you are doing all the right things to support him.
Thingymajigs ·
28/04/2013 17:32
My very chatty son suddenly began stuttering with each word when he was around 3-4 years old. I told his nursery so that they could help him and curb any teasing that might result. Anyway, a week later a member of staff cornered me asking if he'd experienced severe trauma because he was stuttering. 
That pretty much ruined my day. You'd think a nursery would be used to speech difficulties and not jump to such ridiculous conclusions.
Everyone worried about the stuttering but me and within 8 months it had stopped completely. He's nearly 10 and can't recall any of that time so I really wouldnt worry, it's very common.
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