3 year old with good speech suddenly started stuttering

[ILOVEPINK123]

Hello

toddler 3 years and 3 months just out the blue started stuttering. She has good speech generally, so I am really taken a back by it. Might be neuro diverse. Anyone have any advice or been through this? I know online it says it can be normal up to age 5 ? but why did it just come out the blue like this ?

My 2y/2m DS has just started stuttering - he came home from nursery on Monday very tired and was struggling to talk in the evening and this has carried on today, even after a long night's sleep.
I'm presuming it's a developmental thing, whilst his brain's adjusting to a new skill or he's still a bit knackered. I'm just giving him lots of time to talk, helping him with a word if he's been trying to say it for a while and not drawing attention to the stutter.
He said his longest sentance yesterday 'beep, beep beep, I'm the P13 happy little red bus!' so hopefully this is just a temporary hiccup.

Normal stage

My DS did this at the same age, I put it down to his brain moving faster than his mouth could, bless him. He grew out of it in a few months.

This can happen if they try to use their non dominant hand for writing. So if they are lefties and they copy everyone else it messes with something at the level of speech.
Could it be this?

My two were exactly the same at that age. It disappeared as quick as it came out of the blue. Lasted 2-3 months.

This. It is very common.

wow thanks everyone that's really helpful x

My 2.5 yo started stuttering on and off since we moved house a few weeks ago. It is quite upsetting at times as it can go on for up to 20-30 seconds, and he gets frustrated. Like others, currently seeing this as a stage and trying not to worry/draw attention. Think it is also worse when tired/upset.

My DD is now in her 30's, she did this was she was around 3 years old too. Health Visitor said not to comment on it or try to finish the sentence, just wait for her to speak in her own time. She did stop and now shows no sign of it. It was very upsetting at the time and like your child came overnight

@ILOVEPINK123My 3 year has started stuttering too and had really great speech for her age before this so it's quite upsetting to see. Her vocabulary is excellent and she is very clear so I'm not sure if it could still be developmental or if she has gone past this point. It's been going on for a few months now and we don't know if we should continue to ignore or try and see a SALT. Any advice from anyone welcome. Thanks

It's really common to start this around this age. It's often during a phase of rapid development, almost like they're trying to say words too advanced or their speech is going too fast for their brains. Dd2 started this around the age of 3, she had episodes of this on and off, suddenly wake up one morning and it would start but then one morning it would go. She'd always get it before a phase of growth/development. More likely to be an actual stutter if they have a close relative with a stutter though.

@sarahc336 Thank you for your reply. Can I ask how long it went on for with your daughter? My daughter has had it for about 3 months now and it doesn't go away, just seems to less obvious at certain times.

She probably first started with it just before the age of 3. It would be there 1-2 weeks then go and then come back maybe 1 month later. She's 3 and a half now and hasn't had it for quite a while now so wondering if she's grown out of it.

I just re read your post and my dd2 also has quite advanced language, I think the stuttering is from when they're trying to say sentences that are just too much for them to get out. My dd would often get it more when she was excited and was trying to tell you something, like her brain was trying to get the words out too quick for her actual mouth

Can be quite a normal developmental stage (I'm a SLT) - no one quite knows why but likely that it's where their language explodes and their brains and mouths are trying to keep up! Don't make a thing out of it, don't interrupt or finish things for them and it should fade away.

When she stutters get her to sing what she wants to say, it uses the other side of the brain and can help.

Thank you everyone for your replies. @DoNotScrapeMyDataBishes Is there a rough timeline of when we should be more concerned about it not going away and should maybe get some SLT support? And in your experience, how successful is it in young children? Thanks agaim

This is very common. I had temporary stutter several times in childhood and DD aged three has just had one for a couple of weeks then it got better. Give them plenty of time to speak and model speaking slowly with pauses so they don't feel rushed.

Hi there - just wondering if there had been an update on your daughter's speech at all? My DH is 2y 8m and about 10 days ago woke up with a stutter completely out of the blue and struggled to get her words out. Sometimes it might sound like:

'c c c c c c c c can I have a snack?'

but other times it is more like:

'c c c c c c c an i i i i i i h h h h have a s s s s s s snack?'

It doesn't seem to phase her at all (which is good) but it is so upsetting to watch and I'm worried it's going to affect her confidence or want to chat (she is such a chatty little girl and I would hate for her to feel self-conscious). She was an early and very fluent talker and after doing some research it could be a developmental leap but its very sudden and it's breaking my heart.

Nursery, HV and speech therapist have advised we completely ignore, model slower speech and try not to overload with questions for a few months and see how it goes - but be good to hear from other parents?

My husband's brother had a mild stutter as a child but no other family history.

Thanks in advance!

My DS was very similar, advanced speech and language and started stammering at a similar age. I asked for a speech therapy referral when he was 3 but he did keep his stammer and now stammers as an adult. Non fluency is normal in young children, some self resolve, some overcome with therapy and some remain with a stammer regardless.

My DS is now 25, has a degree and a professional job and is not disadvantaged by his stammer at all

This also happened to my daughter when she was 3.5. I flagged it at pre-school and they kept and eye on her. She stopped doing it as suddenly as she started, months later.