Fluency (Stuttering)

Stuttering is when speech is disrupted. These disruptions may also be referred to as “disfluencies.” Children may stutter if they have difficulty speaking or if they demonstrate hesitation or repetition of syllables, words, or phrases.

Children may simply be going through a normal phase in development as their language repertoire expands and they learn to talk. Looking at different types of disfluencies helps us determine if a child may be stuttering or if they are going through a new stage of learning. Normal disfluencies are bumps or repetitions in speech that occur occasionally, are not considered atypical, and are not concerning to the child. Disfluency characteristics of a stutter are more intense, occur more frequently, and are often accompanied by frustration.

Who May Benefit from Speech Therapy for Fluency:

• Children who may exhibit stuttering (i.e., repeating the same word or consonant sound at the beginning of an utterance).
• Children who may show signs of cluttering (i.e., a rapid rate of speaking).

Children who demonstrate stuttering or cluttering can benefit from speech therapy to develop more fluent speech and language.

If you suspect that your child has speech or language problems, CLICK HERE for a free consultation