If parents notice that their children stutter, they can turn to a speech therapist who will initially advise them on what should be changed in their communication with the child and how.

Characteristics of physiological stuttering:

Physiological stuttering usually appears between the ages of two and five and disappears after that. Then the child learns the language and until he/she has mastered the grammatical structure of the mother tongue, he/she may be insecure and stutter. Physiological stuttering is not continuous, the child stutters for a few days, then comes a period when the child does not stutter at all. Non-fluent speech in the form of stuttering is manifested by repetition of sounds or words, sometimes the child uses slang and proverbs (well, er...).

The behavior of parents is very important for the development of a child's stuttering, it is very important not to interrupt the child, not to criticize him/her if a mistake is made, not to exaggerate and give importance to it, and not to be impatient when the child wants to say certain words. Whether to start therapy immediately, or wait a few months to see the development of the situation, depends on many elements. Physiological stuttering is not treated, because it is temporary, so a speech therapist can give advice to parents on how to behave during that phase.

Talk to the child slowly, without tension.

Speech therapists advise parents to speak with pauses between words, at a slightly slower pace, to be an adequate speech model for the child. When your child asks you something, pause for a few seconds before answering. Don't be strict if the stuttering gets worse. This is how you will help your child. If you notice that the stuttering is getting worse, relax the child. A child who stutters can be exposed to mockery and negative comments by their peers. This can have a very bad effect on the child, as well as on the parents. If the physiological stuttering does not stop and the child reaches the age of 5, it would be best to start speech therapy, which will consist of exercises that reduce stuttering and help the child to stop stuttering.

Opinions on stuttering

Children who stutter may be more intelligent than their peers and they are usually a little more sensitive.

Stuttering is more common in left-handed people.

There are different causes of stuttering: emotional, biological, in children who stutter there is a problem to coordinate the movements of the speech organs with the timing, so they need more time to produce speech.

Secondary stuttering

It is defined as stuttering with repetition of syllables, words, spasms and facial and body tension are usually present. In this situation, the child is aware of stuttering.