3 year old stammering please reasure me

[Toddlertwos]

My 3 year old has started to stammer around 6 weeks ago, it usually comes and goes but the last week or so I've really noticed it, particularly the letters W and L, usually when he's recalling something like a memory or what someone has said or more repetitive type things.

I was concerned so emailed a few speech therapists, some of who said its likely developmental and usually goes away but as its been 6 weeks I'm starting to worry its becoming more permanent.

He is really struggling sometimes and seems to repeat w quite a lot (more than when he started) and also covers his mouth when doing it.

We are doing all the right things, not hurrying him along when speaking. Trying to talk slowly and not giving it any attention.

Has anyone experienced 'developmental stammering' that's gone on for this long or should I be seeking a private assessment?

Any advice/or experiences would really help ease my mind right now, I suffer from health anxiety and this is really worrying me.

This sounds like normal non fluency to me too. Is there a family history of stammering at all? If not, just keep on with the strategies, this often happens when children's vocabulary is developing and they suddenly have lots to say!

NHS has info, this bit for example seems relevant:

Indirect therapy is where parents make changes to the way they communicate and the home environment, rather than focusing directly on their child's talking.

If your child is under 5, this is probably the approach your therapist will suggest you try first.

However, if a young child has been stammering for several months and it seems to be getting worse, it may be best to start direct therapy straight away. Several months is a while away, this matches the advice you were given?

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stammering/treatment/

Stammering can often start around aged three and is more common in boys. Does in run in yours or their father's family?

You mention health anxiety but stammering is not a health condition, what is it that is really worrying you?

FWIW a speech therapist, who was an old childhood friend of mine, once sent a message via my mum (who'd visited her family around the time my first DC very young). She said 'not to worry 'if' my child started stammering about this age, as very bright children often do' - something to do with mouths not keeping up with minds or something. Oddly, not long after, DS1 did start stammering - for a short while. He was the brightest of my DC, exhaustingly so, tbh. Sorry the facts of the story are a bit rusty as it was many years ago, but it was definitely said to me, and was a brief period of stammering that passed. He didn't have any ongoing stammer. Not sure if that may be relevant, but thought it might be helpful.

My son did this for a fair few months aged 3-4, I ignored it (as per advice) and just let him take his time, he is bright and had a lot to say but his mind worked faster than he could talk. That’s often all it is, don’t worry at this stage. If he was 8 and doing it one might try to have it looked at after a while , but not age three . A colleague has two boys her eldest did the same sone years ago (it was her who reassured me) and it just faded away over time.

@HedgehogB

You saved me a post, my DS (now 22) did this at precisely three years, my DH had just been implanted with a CI so I emailed one of the SALTS on his team, she said ignore it, it will be gone in six to nine months, there is a massive amount in there trying to come out too quickly. She was spot on.

Ignore it, it will pass.

Adult stammerer here - my parents made a big deal out of my stammer, predictably making it worse and pretty permanent.
My son started stammering at around 3, and I totally ignored it. It passed, and he has no recollection of it at all.
Most children grow out of it but if yours doesn't, try not to over-focus on it and do take advantage of the much better services that are available these days.

Another one whose son stammered at 3. His speech was a bit delayed but his mind wasn’t - as other posters have said, it was just having a lot of ideas that he couldn’t quite articulate. He’s now 22 and speaks very fluently.

Bumpy talking is another way to put it. Does he know he is doing it, iyswim?
If he does and would like help, do what you are doing - please may I have a bbbb - you say biscuit - then he will say the word and keep talking.

Nice and slow, no need to worry or talk about it in front of him. This will make him stress and get worse!
They sometimes copy so perhaps a friend at nursery has bumpy talking.

He will try and correct himself, so helping him instead of letting him stumble about will work, without shutting him down. Ask him maybe? Is he tired when he does it for example

Yes, my son started that at age 3. We happen to live near a fancy speech/stuttering research and clinical facility. He attended 1-on-1 and group sessions. It was all useless - every method they tried to help it - useless. He eventually stopped but I want to say he was 8-10 years old when it stopped. He's an adult now.

Another one here whose son did this aged 3 (or 4 perhaps ) for around 6 months. I was so worried and emailled various SALTs I knew professionally and they all reassured that it would pass. I ignored it, tried to quash my concerns, and it disappeared. Interestingly it also occurred at a time when he developed a temporary blinking tic, so I think there was alot firing about in his little brain for some reason.

Try not to worry. You’ll almost certainly be reassuring future mums that ‘this too shall pass’ in years to come.

Mine did too, at 3 - he is 6 now and completely fluent with no stammering at all.

Happened with my nephew at a slightly younger age, also with w. SALT said stop asking him questions as his brain can process faster than his mouth can work. Totally backed off and it went away.

My 3yo did this for a while too! And funnily enough I’ve only remembered because I’ve read this post, so can’t even tell you when it passed.

He would get stuck on I : “I-I-I… I want that” and it would go on for ages.

As above, ignored it and can’t even remember when it stopped

Daughter stammered at 2-3 years old and had a speech delay. Her brain would work fast and she struggled to get it out quick enough - causing her to stammer.

She's now 9 (soon to be 10) and speaks wonderfully and is very well spoken - nothing like me 🤣 try not to worry it should pass. If he starts nursery they may refer him to SALT - that's what happened with my daughter, but as I said, she also had a speech delay.

@Toddlertwos Hello, Please can I ask if your son is still stammering? My 3 year old has been stammering for a few months now and we are not becoming worried that it may become permanent the longer it goes on. Her speech is great otherwise so it's hard to see her struggle. Any advice appreciated.

My son has stammered on and off since about that age. It seems to come in waves when his thoughts get a bit too complex for his language! I think just keep doing what you're doing. He's 10 now and it only really happens if he's trying to relay something to us that's really important. It's the pressure!

@tunainatin Thank you for your reply. Can I ask if you ever visited a SALT and if so, if it helped at all?

Apologies only just spotted this. I am an slt, although I don't work with children who stammer. I asked a couple of colleagues about it and they agreed that it sounded like something that would probably resolve itself so that gave me reassurance. Also it has never bothered him so it seemed a good idea not to make an issue out of it.