Stuttering/stammering 2 year old

[deliwoman1]

Hi, my DD is 2 years 3 months. For a while she’s repeated words, usually I, I, I or I want, I want etc, which I put down to a developmental phase as her language has exploded. She’s a very good talker, lots of complex sentences etc. Able to fully explain whole scenarios that happened at nursery.

Literally overnight though she’s started elongating sounds, repeating the first letter of words b-b-b-baby etc, and a few times has seemed to struggle to get the words out, blinking and making a face while she tries.

I’ve googled and it’s possible this is a sign of a true stutter rather than a toddlers brain running too fast for what their motor skills can do. We’re ignoring it, allowing her space to get the words out without comment, and trying to model slower clearer speech without being weird.

Has anyone else’s toddler been through this and come out the other side? I must admit it has me really worried. It’s only just started so I imagine I’ll be dismissed by the HV, but instinctively it feels disordered.

I'd be worried about the blinking and making faces while trying to get words out, then stressing first letters instead of single words. It's definitely gone beyond stutter and entering 'stammering' phase. I'd still mention it to your hv or gp.

Thanks @Anywhooastheysay. You’ve confirmed what I thought. As it’s only just started my DP isn’t as worried, but it has me nervous. Obviously a stammer isn’t the worst thing in the world to navigate, but it’s hard to think she may have future speech difficulties. I’m going to call the HV tomorrow. It’ll probably be a month before we get seen 🙄

Don't worry too much because it's common for children. Mention it to your HV or the GP but they'll probably tell you it is common and often sorts itself out. My DD was diagnosed with Tourette's but that was after years of stuttering and tics and the stuttering stopped to be honest so it's mainly tics and some repetitive words when she's very stressed
One thing though, don't interrupt or try to help her, just give her time to say what she needs to say in her way

Hi @deliwoman1 hope you’re well. I just wanted to see if you might share a further update this sounds exactly like my son who literally woke one day about 2.5 months ago and was stammering/ stuttering out of the blue. Occasionally eyes roll back and blinks hard when trying to say a word. Also recently started saying “I can’t say anything” or “I can’t speak the words” when he gets stuck. He turned 3 yesterday. I’m beside myself with worry. Xx

Hello, our now 4 year old daughter had similar aged 2.5-3.5 years. I worried about it too. She was always a good talker, but would repeatedly do long, frustrating stutters, and be frustrated at finding her words. We decided to be chill about it, as she got visibly annoyed if we tried to finish her sentence for her too often.

She now very rarely stammers, in fact she is an amazingly articulate 4.5 years! Very chatty! So personally I would say of course keep an eye on it, but in our experience as long as the care givers don’t stress the child about it, it will eventually fade away.

Thanks so much @Muddymiddle for your response. I’m so glad things worked out for your daughter. It’s great to hear and so many of the threads I am following it is a similar story it runs it course and goes. God it’s just so worrying and I hope we are in that majority eventually! It’s awful seeing them frustrated trying to speak when previously there was no issue. I’ll worry for the rest of my life as long as I have children! Thank you again xx

My DD did this around the same age, just started out of the blue. It was quite bad, I was told to just ignore it. Not to comment or to say the word for her, I did as advised and she grew out of it. It was very concerning at the time

Thanks @cherrytree12345 so glad to hear she outgrew it. Did it last long at the time do you recall? I’m thinking 2.5 months is a long time 🤔

Hi it was definitely quite a few months (more than 2.5) but not years. Sorry I cant be more precise, she is an adult now so a long time ago. Yes children are a worry what ever age they are - the nature of the problems change but you still worry

Thank you @cherrytree12345 that’s good to know and I’m so glad it all worked out for your dad. We are going to the SALT on Tuesday just for them to meet him. I’m beside myself about it and bawled on the phone to them so I think they were like oh Jesus we better meet this lady to talk her down! But I am really so worried and also pregnant so extra emotional and stressed about it. It’s just so out of the blue

Hi, how did you get on at Salt? Did the phase pass or are you in still in it? My 2 yr 4 month started with I I I but this week moved to finding syabols difficult to get out like st st straw when reading 3 little pigs together. It is becoming frequent every couple of sentences now and sometimes closes his eyes. Worrying extra during pregnancy. Thank you