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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

ds 2.9 started stuttering - no idea why - any experience - anyone?

13 replies

tryingherbest · 01/02/2009 17:36

OK, my ds started stuttering about 4 days ago and it's getting worse daily.

No idea why - not every word - not the same words or letters - all random.

I called his nursery in the panic to ask them to watch out for it and they wonder if it's because he's bilingual - its very normal apparantly - I don't feel it's that as his second language is very week.

Could it be emotional. What do I do - what's the procedure and what would a speech therapist do if he's referred to one?

Is it temporary?

He seems happy in himself and today we had the most fabulous fun day - made no difference. However, there are issues between dh and I and dh shouts at me quite a bit. However, dh has gone away for a few days, still no change.

Any words of wisdom?

OP posts:

Nettee · 01/02/2009 17:59

My DS did this for a bit and I looked for advice in my "baby talk" book which is very good. The stuttering was more repetition of a word lots of times before moving on with the sentence and the book said it was a normal phase and the thing was not to make a fuss about it as it could make the child self conscious and more likely to develop a stutter. my DS didn't do it for very long could well be temporary

Nettee · 01/02/2009 18:08

here is the quote " over half of all children between the ages of 3 and 4 go through a period of non fluency when they repeat syllables or words..... The repetitions occur when the child is trying to figure out how to put what he wants to say. He is totally focussed on the thought process and totally unaware of the repetitions. This stage is a completely normal one and will pass within a few weeks or months....... Never ever draw the child's attention to how he is speaking" it says if they try to stop the repetitions it may lead to a a stammer.

so yes, don't panic!

CrushWithEyeliner · 01/02/2009 18:10

DD did this for a while - she was 2 and a really good talker and learnt a lot of new words in one go. It happened at xmas when we had loads of relatives around all asking her 100 questions at once and she just got stuck. we held of asking her questions and it just went over a period of months. Don't worry it is not forever

Original poster

tryingherbest · 01/02/2009 18:12

Aw I might be in a bit of flap. He just seems to be going backwords.

This the classic mmmmmummy I wwwant ttttttto gggggo to the ppppark.

I'm just ignoring it - but finding it hard.

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pavlovthecat · 01/02/2009 18:16

Oh I shall watch this with interest as DD has started this from time to time. I have looked it up a bit, and it is perfectly normal and usual in language development, I think it is something to do with large amounts of language input and eagerness to get it all out, they trip over their words and it comes out stuttery. There is even something briefly on it under 'MN Toddler - 2.5year olds'. But will keep an eye on this thread to see what others say.

hollyhobbie · 01/02/2009 18:30

DD did this too at a similar age. We're English-speaking, but she started at a foreign language playgroup (we live abroad) and I think her brain was really overloaded. We ignored it and never put words in her mouth (however tempting it was!) and eventually it went away.

The one thing we found helpful was if she was really 'stuck' on a word, we might sometimes say an encouraging, "yes?" or "hmm?" and I think just that tiny interruption from us helped her brain 'unstick' IYSWIM and she could carry on.

Interestingly, we then moved to another foreign country and before I heard DD speak in the new language, I knew she was learning it, because she started to stutter again. 8 months later and the stutter is once again gone.

So, you never know, it could be linked to his bilingualism- maybe he's just about to start speaking in language B, and so his English is having to slow down a bit?!

SoupDragon · 01/02/2009 18:31

Both DSs did this at that kind of age, it seems to be very common. Both got over it.

Thomasandhisfriends · 01/02/2009 18:33

My 3.1 year old started doing this about six weeks ago - we ignored it as per advice and now it has disappeared completely!

Original poster

tryingherbest · 01/02/2009 19:21

Ok then - I'm going to give it a bit of time before I think about going to GP.

It's so painful to hear him like this. But I don't react in any way and I won't. Yep, loving the idea of just saying 'yes?' mid long stutter to try and unblock the pattern. Will give it ago.

Could be the bilingualism as there's also a third language going on in the background that we don't really try to get him involved in. he could just be going through a spurt or just trying to hard.

Lets see how he gets on.

Aw, many thanks - I feel much better.

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JumpingDizzy · 01/02/2009 19:30

ds1 did this when I'd given birth to ds2. He was very fluent with his speech and started stuttering quite badly. I was shouting at him a bit as got paranoid over newborn so the shouting may trigger it? Shouting too much isn't good for kids anyway. Sorry to hear your dh does this to you.

CrushWithEyeliner · 01/02/2009 19:36

It is hard to ignore - DD also is bilingual and had BL family over that xmas - interesting...

rachels103 · 01/02/2009 19:53

Ds also did this for a while at round 2 - 2 1/2 and it was quite severe for a while - we were concerned but our health visitor said not to worry as lots of children go through a stage, often when they have learnt lots of new words. We put it down to his brain moving faster than his language skills could keep up with and sure enough he outgrew it of his own accord.

Difficult though it might be, try to ignore it as much as you can - don't be tempted to finish words for him or draw attention to it as he might get frustrated.

Original poster

tryingherbest · 03/02/2009 19:10

OK - sorry but I'm bumping this as now ds has become aware of this and he's getting frustrate - to the point he's throwing himself on the floor trying to get a word out. I've been insipid about the whole thing and ignored it.

Moreover this weekend I had some kids around. My ds was saying he didn't like them -and to check he just was in a mood, I went through everyone I knew and he said he didn't like them except his dad where he added that he was horrible as he alwasys shouts at mummy. I felt awful and didn't know what to say. I'm wondering whether we have brought this one.

Pavlovthecat - how's your little one doing and? Is there a frustration to the stuttering?

He's now taking up to 40 seconds to say one word and when we're out and about we get looks.

I'm tempted to take him to GP. I' also tempted tp have a go at dh when he gets home tonight after five days away at his mum's abroad.

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