2.6yr old DS just started to stammer - we're very worried - any advice?

[Holymoly321]

DS1 is 2and a half and we've noticed over the past couple of days that he's really started to struggle with a couple of his words. His speech has been pretty normal 'toddlerese' up till now. But he seems to suddenly be really struggling with the word 'it's' (coming out like this - 'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, iiiiiiiiiit's - sometimes taking up to 30 secs to get the word out), and same with 'I', and also sometimes with 'W's. Should we be worried. It's not everytime he uses these words but def more times than not over the past few days. He doesn't seem too distressed by this but obv we are concerned.

It is very, very common for children to stammer around this age, probably up until 4 I think. Its just their brain catching up with their mouth! But just to be sure, you might want to contact the HV for advice if you are really worried.

Ignore, ignore, ignore - my DS2 developed a stammer at about 3. When i mentioned it to the playgroup they said that another child had a stammer and a few of them had picked it up.

We ignored, it disapeared in a month or so.

Obviously if it persists or gets worse see your HV.

I'll second what foxy said as my ds stuttered at about that age, he just couldn't get the words out. It didn't last long, maybe 6-8 months. You've just got to sit with it and try not to make any fuss about it.

I know loads of kids who stammered at this age, they grew out of it. Ds did it occasionally too.

Don't make a big thing out of it, don't even mention it to him. It'll pass I'm sure.

my ds stammered for around 4-5 months when he was almost 3. It got better and now he doesn't do it at all. He is 4.2 and I'd forgotton he'd done it until I read this thread

His brain is working faster than his speech. My DS did this and lots of other children I know did too. That's not to say ignore it totally if you are concerned but be reassured that it's quite common I think.

thanks all - DH and I feel much better about this now. and thinking back I remember that I had a bad stammer when I was a child and don't now, and it turns out that DMIL also had a stammer as a child too!