Stuttering

What is Stuttering?

Stuttering (which can be called stammering) or disfluency, is a communication problem in which the normal flow of speech is disrupted. Stuttering might begin slowly and progress over time, or it might arise out of nowhere. People who stutter frequently repeat syllables, words, or phrases (wa-wa-water), lengthen them (wwwwwater), or have irregular syllable and sound blocks in their speech.

Boston Children’s Hospital lists three different types of stuttering:

• Developmental stuttering: The most prevalent form of stuttering in children. They may not be able to keep up with the verbal demands of their expanding speech and language skills.
• Neurogenic stuttering: This type of disorder happens when there is a signal problem between the brain and nerves and muscles.
• Psychogenic stuttering: Psychogenic stuttering is assumed to start in the part of the brain that controls thinking and cognition. This sort of stuttering can happen to those who have a mental illness or who have been through a lot of emotional distress. This type of stuttering does not happen because of emotional problems.

Is Stuttering Common?

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that about 3 million Americans stutter, and that it impacts people of all ages.

Stuttering affects kids between the ages of 2 and 6 when they start to speak more (and with more complex language) Stuttering affects between 5 to 10% of all children at some point in their lives, and it can continue anywhere from a few weeks to many years.

Boys are 2 to 3 times more likely than girls to experience stuttering, and this gender gap widens as they become older; the number of boys who continue to stutter is three to four times higher than the number of girls. The majority of young children grow out of their stuttering.

Stuttering is a condition that affects about 75% of children. It can be a lifelong communication impairment for the remaining 25% of people who continue to stutter.

What Does Stuttering Look Like?

Because each individual is unique, the signs and symptoms of stuttering can vary greatly. Here are some of the most typical red flags of true stuttering to look out for:

• Repetition of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases.
• Prolonging  or stretching out sounds
• Routinely inserting “fillers”, such as “um” or “like” that disrupt flowing speech
• Pausing often when speaking
• Speech that is stopped or blocked. Your child may try to say something but no sound/words come out
• Tension, tightness, or movement of the face or upper body when trying to say a word (Mayo Clinic)
• Rapid eye blinking, lip or jaw tremors, facial tics and other “secondary behaviours”
• Nervous to talk or avoiding talking

Are There Long Term Consequences to Stuttering?

Sometimes, stuttering isn’t the hardest aspect of the disorder for many children and adults; it’s the impact it has on their everyday life. Stuttering makes individuals feel as if they’ve lost control of one of their most basic processes – communicating – which may be humiliating, awkward, and unsettling. This might cause individuals to be afraid of being mocked or humiliated, to be less active or interested in the classroom or at work, to avoid social encounters, and to be afraid of being taunted or embarrassed.

These effects are frequently worsened in older children and adults. Many people avoid social interactions altogether, and their verbal communication causes them ongoing aggravation and shame. While it is a mistake, adults who stutter are sometimes perceived as meek, self-conscious, or lacking in confidence.

Many of our natural coping techniques, however, can exacerbate stuttering. People frequently try to prevent the moment of stuttering by speaking rapidly or not at all. These habits might make someone more prone to stuttering.

What Causes Stuttering?

Unfortunately, doctors and scientists are still baffled as to what causes stuttering. Many specialists, however, feel that stuttering is caused by a combination of risk factors. Certain factors may put some children and adults at a higher risk for stuttering. The Stuttering Foundation highlights these:

• Family History of Stuttering: While it is yet unknown if stuttering is hereditary and passed down through the generations, over 60% of all people who stutter have a family member who stutters as well
• Gender: Girls are more likely to outgrow stuttering than boys. In fact, for every girl who stutters, three to four boys stutter.
• Other Speech and Language Issues: If a child has errors in their speech like substituting one sound for another or leaving sounds out of words may be at greater risk.
• Age at Onset: The older a child is when they start stuttering, the more likely they are to continue stuttering.

When Should I Speak to a Professional About Stuttering?

Early intervention, like with other disorders, is typically the best way to prevent things getting worse.

If you’re worried about your child’s stuttering, talk to your doctor. In many circumstances, your doctor will send you to a speech-language pathologist (SLP), who is the best expert to assess and decide if your child is at risk for long-term issues with stuttering.

The following are signs that your child’s stuttering is becoming more severe and that you should get them evaluated:

• A child’s stuttering is getting worse over time
• There are “secondary behaviors” observed like twitching or physical tension
• Speech may be strained
• There are speaking situations that are avoided
• The child is 5 years old and they continue to stutter

Adults and older children who are affected by stuttering should consult with their doctor or a speech-language pathologist. Better communication and coping methods to overcome stuttering are sometimes a lifetime journey.

What Does Stuttering Treatment Look Like?

There is currently no therapy for stuttering that is a quick cure. Getting treatment early can prevent stuttering from persisting into maturity. Your child’s treatment will be determined by their symptoms, age, and overall health. It will also be determined by the severity of the illness.

Your doctor may ask about your family history of stuttering and analyze your stuttering symptoms to diagnose and treat. It will be very important to visit with a  speech therapist.

Speech therapy for stuttering is the primary method to help with this disorder. A speech therapist will inquire about your child’s speech and assess their ability to communicate using various strategies and in various contexts. It’s vital to remember that each child is different, and what works for one child may not work for another.

As a result, your speech therapist will collaborate with you and your child to create a unique treatment plan that will help them speak more smoothly and without interruptions while also coping with their symptoms.

Speech therapy treatment for stuttering in older children and adults focuses on stuttering management. A speech therapist can help people relax and talk more freely at school, work, and in other social situations. These techniques can assist people in confronting circumstances that make them apprehensive or uncomfortable, such as talking on the phone or ordering meals at a restaurant.

Other possible treatment types include but are not limited to:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: This treatment assists individuals in coping with their stuttering so that the impact and burden it has on their quality of life is reduced.
• Electronic devices. To improve fluency, a variety of devices are available. For example, a device that provides delayed auditory feedback helps you slow down your voice or the system will distort. . Another device makes it appear like you’re talking in harmony with someone else by simulating your speech. These are worn during daily tasks and one can consult a speech-language pathologist to select the best one.
• Parent-child Interaction. Parental engagement in practicing strategies at home, especially with speech therapy strategies, is a critical component in helping a child manage their stuttering. Speech therapy online is an excellent way to get parents to be involved in their child’s progress with speech therapy whether they are toddlers or older children.

How Parents Can Support Speech Therapy For Stuttering

Parental involvement is  one of the most powerful tools available to help children control their stuttering. According to several studies, parents have a critical role in assisting their children in achieving their speech and language goals. Parents spend the most time with their children, and there are a variety of basic tactics and activities you can perform with them on a daily basis to help them.

There are some tips below to help parents create a fluency facilitating environment. Yet they should make sure their speech therapist provides the skills and knowledge you need to be an active participant in your child’s communication development:

• Look for ways to communicate with your child that are engaging, calming, and fun. Stuttering can be exacerbated by putting stress and pressure on youngsters.
• When your child stutters, try not to respond harshly or insist on precise speech. Praise them instead when they speak fluently.
• Avoid filling in the blanks. To put it another way, even if your child is having difficulty pronouncing a word or sentence, let them finish it without speaking for them.
• Although you may mean well when you say things like “take a deep breath” or “slow down,” these statements might actually make a child feel more self-conscious.
• Model a slow and calm way of speaking. Children have a habit of imitating the adults around them.
• Don’t be scared to discuss stuttering with your child. If they show signs of being worried or ask questions, reassure them that speech disfluencies are common and that many individuals experience them to some degree.
• If your child is in school, educate their teachers so that they can offer a safe and accepting atmosphere for your child.

How Can Therapy Works Together Evaluate and Treat All Ages Online?

Therapy Works  Together helps families connect online with a licensed and certified speech therapist that is a trained expert in diagnosing and treating a variety of speech, language and communication issues. Speech therapy is delivered online at home with video conferencing applications.

The age of our clients as well as their diagnosis and goals is important in determining how speech therapy online will be delivered.

Speech therapy for babies and toddlers: For kids age 0-3, we usually work on early communication skills like joint attention, social communication, or increasing language skills in late talking toddlers.

Parents work with their assigned speech language pathologist, usually in a parent coaching model, to learn tips and strategies that speech therapists use so they can be adept at practicing teaching their child after the session is over and at home. You can read more here about how important it is for parents to be involved in their child’s speech therapy at home.

Speech therapy for preschoolers: For kids age 3-6, speech therapists target age appropriate articulation, language delays, reading readiness and more. Parents join in for online video sessions with the child so that both learn the speech strategies and skills from the speech therapist. Learning how to use these skills after the session helps kids improve.

Speech therapy for school age kids: for children age 7 and up, speech therapists might work on academic skills, increasing vocabulary, social skills for kids with autism, stuttering and more. Children this age can come to online video sessions on their own. Our speech therapists keep parents informed by sharing tips and homework.

Speech therapy for adults: Adults attend speech therapy sessions online after becoming stroke patients, for stuttering, for accent modification and more. They come to sessions on their own from the comfort of their home or office. Often, they bring a caregiver or family members to learn strategies if they will need help communicating with others.