Children who often hesitate before speaking or who struggle to repeat certain words, syllables, and phrases may have a stuttering problem. However, this is not always the case. These inconsistencies may be simply normal behaviors of learning to speak fluently, something that every child encounters. Here are some tips for helping parents determine the differences between normal language development and potential stuttering issues.
Normal Signs of Fluency Development
- In the early stages of speech development, it is not uncommon for children to occasionally repeat certain words or syllables a couple of times. They might make stammering sounds li-li-like this, for example.
- Another common symptom of typical speech development is the inclusion of filler words every now and then, such as “um,” “er,” or “uh.”
- Up until approximately 5-years of age, all children will exhibit occasional disfluencies in speech. They will come and go with no real pattern. These occasional verbal missteps are simply signs that the child is trying to use his or her language skills in a new and different way. Even if the inaccuracies disappear for a few weeks only to return again later, the child may simply be entering another new stage of speech development.
Potential Signs of Stuttering Issues
- A child with a stuttering issue will repeat sounds and syllables more than a couple of times, li-li-li-li-li-like this. There will likely be some obvious tension in the facial muscles and around the mouth as well.
- If the child stutters for more than 10% of his daily speech, then he will likely benefit greatly from professional therapy from a reputable stuttering specialist like LA Speech Therapy Solutions.
- Some children with stuttering problems begin to avoid certain words completely or use extra sounds at the beginning of the dialogue to jump-start the conversation. If parents begin to see this pattern develop, professional stuttering therapy Los Angeles, may prove highly beneficial.
Stuttering Therapy Los Angeles
There are many ways that parents can help their children with a stuttering condition while in the comfort of their own homes. Patience is key. Slow and relaxed conversations can be very effective in boosting your child’s confidence and helping him or her to overcome the stuttering. When a parent takes a few minutes out of each day to have a pleasant, stress-free, one-on-one conversation with the child, tremendous improvement can be made rather quickly. If you feel that your child may be suffering from a stuttering issue, contact a reputable speech therapist at LA Speech Therapy Solutions for an expert diagnosis and more helpful home instructional tips.
