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Original poster

Sudden severe stammer DD 2.5

31 replies

Purple89 · 08/04/2025 10:16

Please help I'm so so worried. Any positive stories or reassurance would be much appreciated.

The one thing I thought i wouldn't have to worry about with my DD is her speech. She was a phenomenal early talker - full sentences from 18 months. About 2 or 3 months ago she started with a mild stammer occasionally- didn't really notice it and didn't happen very often.

One week ago today after skipping a nap it suddenly became severe. She sometimes clenches her fists, whispers or even yodels to try and get words out. It's often at the start of a sentence like blocks. When it's not there, her language has exploded even more, e g. Explaining big stories and abstract concepts like dreams. But it is quite frightening to see. To see your confident fluent girl reduced to struggling to say 'love you mummy'.

I'm very upset about it but not showing her that. Staying calm, not finishing her sentences, smiling and letting her finish. I've spoke to HV and she's put a referral in. Friends who have experienced this say its likely developmental and will pass.

But I'm finding it really upsetting and could do with a hand hold or wise words.

OP posts:
Original poster
Purple89 · 09/04/2025 21:10

Bath2020 · 09/04/2025 19:13

@Purple89 i could have written this myself only it’s my ds and he just turned 3 at the weekend and has it about 2 months or so. I am beside myself with worry so I can’t offer advice I’m sorry but following for my own info xx

I'm so sorry- it's really hard isn't it. I hope it passes for you soon. Have you been referred to SALT? xx

OP posts:
kaela100 · 09/04/2025 21:32

My dd was an early talker (9 mths) and then started stuttering at 18 mths. We took her to a child psychologist first because only it's the easiet SALT referral where we used to live & they said it's often a sign of a really high IQ and to just let her finish what she's saying and not interrupt. Within 6 months she was talking like a 5 year old, beginning to read & the stutter went away by the time she was 4.

Original poster
Purple89 · 09/04/2025 21:42

kaela100 · 09/04/2025 21:32

My dd was an early talker (9 mths) and then started stuttering at 18 mths. We took her to a child psychologist first because only it's the easiet SALT referral where we used to live & they said it's often a sign of a really high IQ and to just let her finish what she's saying and not interrupt. Within 6 months she was talking like a 5 year old, beginning to read & the stutter went away by the time she was 4.

Thank you - very reassuring! Nursery think she is "very forward" (she uses adjectives, adverbs, and when she's not stuttering can come up with elaborate 4 or 5 sentences at once together) so it does feel like her brain is going too fast for her mouth. It does feel like there's a leap going on. I'm so pleased your DD came out the other side- thank you for sharing. Fingers crossed that's my experience too.

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Bath2020 · 10/04/2025 09:15

@Purple89 yes so I rang the SALT through the public service because I didn’t know what to do… so they said the waitlist is 6 months. Then the stammering started getting so much worse/frequent and now my ds says “I can’t say anything” when he gets stuck. So I took a vid of this and sent it to the SALT I was talking to over the phone and absolutely broke down on the phone to her so they are bringing him in to the stammering clinic next Tuesday to meet him. They probs think I am unhinged but I’m also early pregnancy and I guess feeling the emotions and stress of it even more as a result.

This is just so out of the blue and I am so worried because it is going on so long now.

it’s interesting how @kaela100 experience suggested the high IQ as a number of people including my childminder (who has been minding children for 25 years) said in all her time minding she has never had a child who speaks like him in terms of the vocabulary. So I really don’t know but I am in a total heap with worry. You just want your children to live as uncomplicated a life as possible x

MollyRover · 10/04/2025 09:17

Not a stammer but definitely noticed pronunciation going backwards in my very talkative DC2 around the same age.

kkneat · 10/04/2025 18:36

Purple89 · 08/04/2025 13:46

Thank you so much that's so reassuring. I'm so glad it went away for your daughter. Was hers as severe as my daughter's stammer though? I worry because of the muscle clenching and whispering etc that hers won't.

Show quote history

Yes her neck would clench and she’d do this funny little thing with her jaw. We really tried to act like we just didn’t notice.

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