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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Stammering - has just started after harldy any before - advice?

10 replies

bellbottoms · 12/09/2006 14:58

My 2.5yr ds started stammering last saturday - v strange, he prafctically 'woke up with a stammer', of course he's done typical 2 year old stutter lots, as they do learning words/thinking, but this is real stammering 'Me me Me me Mer Mer Mer Mu Mu Mu Mummy' and getting frustrated that he can't say 'it' and then managing to finally get it out, or just choosing to say something completely different...It only the begining of sentences he stammers...and before sat he had no trouble with getting words out, not a chatterbox, but is good at vocab etc.. I found myself crying over breakfast as he got so frustrated. he is going through a arguing black is white phase (with me!) anyway. I just want to know if there's anything I can do/not do or if it is just a little phase....(I'm trying not to 'notice' it and helping him with a question which he can nod to if I know what he's going to be saying)

OP posts:

lucycat · 12/09/2006 15:01

more than likely it is a phase where his poor little mouth can't keep up with what he wants to say - my dd1 was just the same, we would tell her to stop what she wanted to say, take a deep breath - all together now - and then tell us.

Doesn't help if he wants to argue though does it?

Bugmum · 12/09/2006 16:27

I have a friend who is a SALT and she says this is incredibly common in this age group, and shouldn't be noticed as it is the noticing that can lead to it setting into a 'real' stammer later. She is postively militant about this, and makes sure all the mums she knows are informed about it. I know it's hard, but try not to worry.

princessmel · 12/09/2006 16:40

That happened to my ds at 2.5 too. It was very upsetting as he knew he was doing it and would say "the words won't work etc" .
I ignored it as much as I could but sometimes when he was really upset I would help him. My hv advised me to offer a suggestion like, "are you trying to say..." rather than just say the word. I used to tell him to take a breath and start again etc. It gradually passed and some days were worse than others. He's 3.5 now and it happens very occasionaly.
Try not to worry as I do think its a normal thing to happen at this age.

Mud · 12/09/2006 16:44

ignore it it will go away - if you try to correct him or get annoyed it will stay and get worse - it si a normal phase when their brain moves quicker than their mouths

Mud · 12/09/2006 16:45

happened to all 3 of mine and sitll happening now to youngest

BettySpaghetti · 12/09/2006 16:51

I posted on a similar thread to this a few weeks ago when DS (2.2) developed a stammer particularly on words like "On" and "in" -it started when we were on holiday. The advice at the time was along the lines of what people have put here, along with saying its usually a temporary thing.

Anyway the good news is DS's is noticably better already so try not to panic.

I put it down to being away on holiday, change of surroundings, tiredness etc.

Original poster

bellbottoms · 12/09/2006 20:46

thanks all - yup, best not to worry - I looked at the British Stammering Association Webiste (www.stammering.org.uk) and it seems that msot 2-5yrs old have some stammer at some point, remaining calm and not trying to rush them in speech, as well as slowing down your own speech to 'slow the thoughts down' is recommended....Also realised I actually have a stammer, I just cover it pretty well!

OP posts:

samnbabes · 12/09/2006 21:06

Just to add to everyone - ds (now 2 1/2, & a champion talker) started stammering a couple of months ago. We ignored it, & he's pretty much stopped now, except when he's tired. My dad (child psychologist) says it's a really normal stage, to do with lag between their ability to think & thier ability to get the words out - basically just a sign that their little heads are full of thoughts!!

Vindaloo · 12/09/2006 21:28

Oh thank god I have read this thread as its been on my mind the last couple of weeks. My dd is 2.6 yrs and she has started to stammer and it really worried me and seemed so out of the blue, I tried not to show any concern infront of her and have been thinking what I should be doing.

Am really glad to read that its quite normal for her age - PHEW!!

daisy1999 · 12/09/2006 21:34

my dd now 7 has no stammer but had an awful stammer at around 2.5yrs which started overnight and the health visitor referred us. Luckily the phase passed before we were seen. This seems really common in little ones and I'm convinced it is just a phase. I think she developed it because her mind was working faster than her mouth and also because she was always competing with her sister to speak.
We helped by not rushing her or interupting, getting down to her level and getting eye contact when she talked and looking as though we had all the time in the world (even when we were really needing to rush out of the door). We also started to hold a hand up in front of her sister if she tried to talk over her. this way you don't have to stop the first child talking in order to stop the interupter.

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