2 year old suddenly started stammering

[Lat321]

Hi, hope you all are safe & well.

Our 2 year old son has suddenly started stammering. He was a quite early speaker and never had any problems with speaking so far. A real chatterbox. Suddenly he started stammering literally over last weekend and gradually it's getting worse over this week. At first he would say "me me me me do it", now he has gone to "M M M M M Me do it".

There is no change in home circumstances or at nursery. Looking on Internet, some say its normal and will go away while others don't.

Any suggestions please? Do we try to speak to a speech therapist immediately or wait few weeks? Anything we can do in the meantime to support him?

Thank you for reading my post.

[mooncakes]

Really normal at this age. Just don’t make a big thing of it or rush him, and it will pass.

[Hollyhockey]

My DS did it temporarily age 2. It seemed like a mismatch in speed of brain vs mouth. I also wondered whether to intervene but it didn’t last long.

[Lat321]

Thank you for your replies. It has put my kind at ease.

Any idea how long it may last for? I appreciate it maybe a how long is a peace if string question.. We r not rushing him, I am just trying to know when to seek help in future..

[bytheby]

this has happened to my daughter a few times over the last year (just turned 3). It has lasted about a week each time. Her speech is advanced the rest of the time so I think it is just a case of brain speeding ahead of vocals but then she realises she needs to go back and try and finish her words and struggles to remember what they were!

I had a similar google panic but it just stopped overnight. Just sit patiently and let him get his words out in his own time and don't draw attention to it.

[bumpyknuckles]

Speech therapist here. It's very normal to stammer at 2. It's because toddlers have lots to say but their ability to form words is limited. It's very very likely to pass by itself.

To help him, make it clear you're listening to him when he speaks (put down what you're doing, stop talking and look at him), don't interrupt him or talk over him. If you tend to talk a lot / quickly, slow down your speech in front of him, use fewer, simpler words, and leave pauses for him to speak.

Also, look up 'Special Time' - it really helps!

[Marmite27]

Both of mine did it. Both have grown out of it.

[bumpyknuckles]

Hopefully it will pass quickly. However if it doesn't improve by 3, you should see a Speech Therapist. Depending on where you live, you might be able to ring your local service yourself and get a referral. Otherwise you might need to ask your GP to refer, or nursery / preschool.

[bumpyknuckles]

You should seek a referral earlier if the stammer doesn't start to resolve after a few months, if it starts to get worse, or if any close relatives have had stammers.

[TokyoSushi]

DD did this, it passed quite quickly, maybe about 8-12 weeks, one day it stopped and she never did it again. Give it a little while before you worry.

[Itmaybeus]

One of mine did this - after 6 months nursery suggested I get a referral to speach and language therapy.
He had some exercises to do and also had to encourage slower speach these helped and hasn't had a problem since.

[sadie9]

Also, keep your face really relaxed and normal when he is speaking. Don't frown or look worried or tense.

[wasgoingmadinthecountry]

Dd1 did this - suddenly. Got a referral but she stopped on the day of our appointment. It was like her brain was running ahead of her mouth. Do get on the ladder of referral now just in case but don't be surprised if it disappears as quickly as it came.

Dd is 27 now. Never had any more issues beyond 2 and a half. She's very bright - I really think she just couldn't get all of her thoughts out quickly enough for a while. Good luck!

[Notashandyta]

Our lb stuttered on and off for about a year and a half at three/ four years old.

Every time it went on for a few days, and we just as we thought we should get support, it disappeared again. And every time, when it passed, he'd had a massive leap in speech.

Hes 6 now and it hasn't happened for at least 6 months

[NatalieH2220]

My son went through the same thing around 2.5. I'd say it lasted around 6 months before it slowly stopped happening as much. It will happen very occasionally now usually when he's really excited to tell me about something and can't get the words out quick enough. We never did anything just let him outgrow in his own time. I do remember being worried at the time but saw it was fairly normal at that age.