Martine has a friend at school who seems to have great difficulty expressing himself. His speech often seems “blocked”: he hesitates and repeats sounds. Martine wanted to know: does my friend stutter? What is stuttering?
Stuttering – What is it?
First, stuttering affects four times as many boys as girls and about 4-6% of children are said to have it. Stuttering is manifested by:
• Word part repetitions (ha…ha…hat)
• Extensions of sounds (He’s making a ssssssnake.)
• Blockages (g……ift.)
In addition, stuttering can be accompanied by facial straining (a kind of grimacing or eye blinking) or body movements.
Warning! Many children will have a temporary period of stuttering between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. However, the latter should not last more than 6 months and it coincides with the time when the child is learning adult language.
Some hesitations in children are quite normal! They include, for example, additions of words (especially at the beginning of sentences) or even repetitions of words (eg: “Well, I was going, I was going to my babysitter…) or hesitations (eg: uh….).
What are the causes of stuttering?
Contrary to what many may think, stuttering is not caused by embarrassment, nervousness, or even childhood trauma. In fact, it is a neuromuscular disorder that affects the coordination of the different articulators involved in speech (vocal cords, lips, tongue, etc.).
What influences stuttering?
There are several things that can impact stuttering. In fact, Martine’s friend stutters more when he has to give an oral presentation or when he’s very tired. In addition, other variables can influence it: the interlocutor’s reactions, the length or complexity of the words to be said, emotions or nervousness.
Advice from a speech therapist:
● Avoid completing what the child says (don’t finish sentences).
● Allow time for the child to express themselves without interrupting, even if it takes longer.
● Show that you’re available and interested.
● Make good eye contact.
● Avoid telling the child: try to speak less quickly, take a deep breath before speaking, take your time, think carefully before speaking. In fact, we don’t want the child to feel that there is a problem with their speech.
● Don’t force the child to speak in public or in front of a group.
● Prioritize the enjoyment in the interaction and reinforce what the child is saying (eg: it’s really interesting what you’re telling me!).
In conclusion, we recommend visiting the Montreal Children’s Hospital McGill University Health Centre website.
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