toddler stammer

[stocks33]

My son is almost three and has always been a good talker, started early and vocab astounds me at times.

Most parents tell me there child has a stammer and that this is just their brains working faster than their mouths can handle. My son has been through this phase for a few months but now has a more pronounced stammer or stutter where he gets stuck on a particular word or letter.

His uncle has a bad stammer, always we thought, linked to a difficult relationship with his mother - but now I'm worried there may be some link?

Any advice?

My son is almost three and has always been a good talker, started early and vocab astounds me at times.

Most parents tell me there child has a stammer and that this is just their brains working faster than their mouths can handle. My son has been through this phase for a few months but now has a more pronounced stammer or stutter where he gets stuck on a particular word or letter.

His uncle has a bad stammer, always we thought, linked to a difficult relationship with his mother - but now I'm worried there may be some link?

Any advice?

I'm afraid that I've no idea if there's a hereditory link. That was my concern with my DS - my DH has a bit of a stammer as well.

My DS went through a real phase of stammering when he was about 2.4. I spoke to my aunt who was a speech therapist, to ask what i should do. She said that it is v. common (as you know). The important thing is not to draw any attention to it at all. Don't try and finish sentences, or correct him, or tell him to slow down. It's when they become aware, that it can become an issue. She also advised me to tell all the people close to him the same thing (grandparents, nursery etc). She said if DS becomes aware of it, then you play it down, explain that it can easily be sorted out and it's nothing to worry about. At that point, think about taking him to a speech therapist.

Sorry i can't provide correct medical advice, but i thought this may be of some use. My empathies, it is very distressing to hear them struggle. My DS did grow out of it and only does it now if he's v. tired.

hi there

i am a speech therapist and yes there is evidence that stammering has a genetic link, as with most speech problems. if i were you, given how concerned you are, i'd self refer to your local salt clinic, you can get the phone no. from your hv. if there's too long a waiting list, you could find an independent salt by looking on the rcslt website.