Stuttering - Jackson,TN

This is called developmental stuttering and can be just a phase where her brain is moving faster than her mouth. If you are concerned, get a free evaluation through this Vanderbilt Kennedy Center/ Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center research study: http://kc.vanderbilt.edu/studyfinder/report.aspx?diag=25.

I'm a speech therapist. Most 2 yr olds go through this. They just have so much to day and can't get it out fast enoough. They think faster than they can talk. I wouldn't be too concerned yet. Just ignore it and it will probably pass. Just make sure that you listen to her and look at her when she talks. Don't try to finish her sentence for her.

My son was like that too. When he turned 2 he was speaking in complete sentences and went through a stuttering phase. The grandparents were convinced it was a permanent thing and he needed therapy. After several months, he outgrew the stuttering. I would just moniter it. If it gets worse and affects every sentence/word, then I would get it checked.

S.,
Just like many others, my 3 year old daughter recently went through the same thing. It started out slowly but then gradually got to the point where she would stutter with almost every sentence. I would tell her to slow down and think about what she wanted to say before she said it. That sometimes worked, however I read some information afterward that suggested not to do that (I don't remember exactly why). The good news is one day it just went away. It probably only lasted a month or two. One week I was talking with others about it, doing research online because I thought it was getting worse and by the next week it was gone. I think her little mind just works faster than her mouth can! It is not that unusual for this age group. I found most of my info on the internet if you want to do a search....but in the end I didn't really need it! Give it a little time before you start to worry too much, most likely she'll outgrow it as well.

Just about all kids go through a SHORT phase of stuttering. If it's usually when she's excited, frustrated, or nervous, just calmly instruct her to slow down and say what she wants to say. It's one of those things that needs left alone and given as little attention as possible or it gets worse. (As in, if MAMA's frustrated with it, it's even MORE frustrating for the child). If she's a natural-born stutterer, there are other treatments and tactics that help. I read years ago that adult stutterers can speak without stuttering if they can't hear themselves (as with soundproof headphones on), so that would indicate to me that it's alost a 'learned' thing that can be avoided.

My son did the same thing. For him the problem was that his tongue wasn't working as quickly as his brain. When he would start stuttering, we would tell him to stop, take a breath, slow down and start again. We didn't make a huge deal out of it but were just matter of fact about it. If it continues you will need to take her to a speech therapist, but chances are she will outgrow it. Just continue to encourage her to slow down and take her time when she is saying something and see if that helps.

Hi S. J

It sounds like she is trying to talk faster. Just hold her and say to her to slow down in your talking. I feel our mind run faster than our mouth sometimes. I had a sister that studder. I even studder. long ago. But it correct itself in time. But if you need to. Go to your Doctor to see if all is well. Maybe a speech specialist. They might be able to help your sweet little girl. She is still learning and hears many words around her. Just slow her down. I hope I helped a little.
Take care
Vick W

My sopn went through the EXACT same thing. He talked early, and was talking in complete sentences when he was three. Then all of a sudden he started stuttering, especially when he was tired or nervous. I freaked out and took him took the Dr. The Dr. said not to worry that it was just because his brain was thinking too fast. He is three now and he has completly out grown it. I would not worry about it.

As a mother and Speech Language Pathologist, I recommend to give her some time and don't pressure her to say it correctly.  Most children go through a stuttering phase at different points of development.  Their vocabulary is increasing, their thought processes are becoming more complex and they just have more to converse about.  My 4 year old son has gone through about 4 episodes of stuttering.  They have lasted as little as 3 days and as long as 2 weeks.  It was heartbreaking as at one point he said, "Mommy, I just can't say it".  If the stuttering continues, or changes in nature such as silent blocks (where she can't get anything out), or you see struggle behavior (tightening in her neck, tapping her hand on something, turning her head, etc.) I highly recommend visiting a Speech-language pathologist who can give you more strategies to help with the stuttering behavior.  Give her patience and time and let her say it in her own words.  Also know that once she is three years old, she is entitled to therapeutic services through the public school system.  You would have to contact your local Exceptional Children's Department to have an evaluation.  Best of luck!

Hi S.! My son went through the same thing. He just had so much to say, and he would get frustrated when he couldn't get it out fast enough. My pediatrician told me that he would stutter when he was upset or frustrated. She said to just look him in the eye when he was doing it so that he knew he had all my attention, but to NOT draw attention to the stutter. If it makes you feel better, I would take her to see her pediatrician. I bet it is just a phase she will outgrow though!!
GOOD LUCK!!

Hello S.. Our oldest started stuttering at 2 1/2 it went for about 2 months than went away. He is almost 4 and since then it has been coming and going every 4-6 months. We had him evaluated last mouth because this time it came back and stuttering was so bad he would cover his months and just scream.The crazy thing our son did not stutter ones during evaluation. He was about 9 months ahead of his age in his speach, so I am not sure it that matters.It very hard to see them struggle with this and hopefully it will go away soon for your daughter.

I have 2 1/2 year old twins who have been receiving speech therapy. They are doing awesome and have actually tested out. Over the last few weeks they too have started stuttering. I called their therapist about it and she said it is very common and happens around 2-4 years of age. They call it 3 year disfluentcy (spelling???) and said that it will eventually stop, but to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get any worse. The therapist told us to interrupt them and tell them to slow down and that seems to have helped them. Hope this helps.

My two year old (will be 3 in Jan) started stuttering about 3-4 weeks ago. Like yours, he was an exceptional talker prior to that. Coincidentally, his stuttering started soon after we enrolled him in daycare for the first time ever. I thought it was either a defense mechanism or mimicing behavior. Anyway, we were at his doctor's last week for a sick visit. While there, I asked the doc about his new stuttering behavior. The doc eased my fears. He informed me that children around the age of 3 normally go through a stage of developmental stuttering. It is due to their little brains soaking up so much knowledge at this age. The stuttering is the result of their mouths not being able to keep up with their thoughts. He suggested I let my little one know that i am listening and guide him to slow down and collect his thoughts. According to the doc, this behaviour will pass in a couple of months time.

Hi Susanne,

I totally agree with the others. It's a normal phase. The speech pathologist told me that I should look into it if it lasted londer than 6 months. Both of my boys went tghrough it.

Good luck!!

My daughter went thru the same thing, since stuttering runs in my family I took my concerns to our pediatrician. He assured me it was "the age". Her little brain was moving faster than her mouth, hence, stuttering. She did eventually grow out of it, but it honestly took almost a year. Try to be patient, don't rush her to spit it out, I always told me daughter to slow down and think about what she wanted to say. It helped a lot, and we did get thru it.

Well let me tell you the experience my sister went through and then you can draw your own conclusions as I have had no experience with stuttering myself.
When my sisters child was somewhere around 2, he wanted to be left handed. Her husband was very athletic and couldn't stand it that was using his left hand more, so he kept telling him to use his right hand and he would take things out of his left hand and put it in his right hand. He said that he couldn't be a good quarterback being left handed. Well all the sudden the child started stuttering. My sister got him a dr who sent him to a speech therapist and somehow she figured out what was going on and said that was WHY he was stuttering. Her husband quit doing that and he continued to get speech therapy for a little while but it quickly just went away after he quit trying to change him from left hand to right hand.
Now how and why that did that I do not know but it worked. He stopped then the baby stopped stuttering.
So if you think about what you may be doing around the house that you don't really think about, that could be the answer.
Just sit and think and pay very close attention to what is going on and what is happening to her.
Good luck.

my first son was the same way at 2 and 3 years old. It's just part of being smart/being able to talk/speak well. There's so much going through her mind that her thoughts mix up her words. A lot of people told us that, but when a professional speech therapist labeled it as "normal" we felt much better. He's four now and barely stutters at all, but back when he was 2 or 3, it was really bad, we kept telling him, "slow down, think about all your words..." all that was really not even necessary, he grew out of it when he was turning 4, alls well now :) good luck

Talk to her doctor about this. Let him/her know that this is new. It could be several things. If it is just a stutter, don't worry. Have you ever heard a woman stutter? For some reason, girls grow out of it whereas some boys do not. Best wishes to you!

My son went thru the same "phase". I think their little minds are going faster than their mouths. I would just ask him to slow down or start over and he would usually spit out what he was trying to say just fine.