Stuttering is a common issue in young children. Many children experience a brief period of stuttering, which then resolves on its own. The onset of stuttering is usually between age 2 and 4 years. If your child has been stuttering for just a few weeks don’t worry. It is safe to wait for a few months to see if the stuttering resolves naturally.

You should make an appointment for a Speech Pathology assessment if:

‣ There is a family history of stuttering
‣ The stuttering seems to be severe
‣ The child is distressed by the stuttering, or avoiding speaking situations
‣ One or both parents feel concerned about the stuttering
‣ The child has been stuttering for six months or longer
‣ The child is stuttering and will soon be going to school

Young children (up to the age of 6 years) respond well to a stuttering treatment program known as the Lidcombe Program. The staff at Speech Results are highly experienced in the assessment and treatment of stuttering. First we assess the child by taking a detailed case history and taking a number of measurements of the child’s level of stuttering. The parents are also trained to measure the severity of stuttering. The first phase of the treatment program normally involves 3-4 months of weekly appointments in the clinic, with daily home practice provided by the parents. The second phase involves less frequent visits to the clinic to ensure that a high level of fluency is maintained.

If you have more questions about your child stuttering, please contact us.

We are often asked to help manage stuttering in children who are aged 7-12 years.

Working with primary school children who stutter is a little more challenging than working with preschoolers and children up to age 6. The Lidcombe program works best with children up until age 6 or 7 years. 

Some reasons that children are still stuttering after age 7 include:

·         Parents were unable to access therapy for the child when he /she was a preschooler

·         Parents were given advice to wait and see (this is definitely not our advice, please seek an assessment from a trained stuttering therapist when your child is young)

·         The child commenced therapy but did not complete both Stage 1 and 2 of the Lidcombe Program

·         The child completed treatment successfully but relapsed

·         The child had an unusually late onset of stuttering

At Speech Results we are happy to offer assessments and second opinions to determine the best options for your school-aged child if you are concerned about stuttering.

For older primary school children, the Lidcombe program may need to be modified, or other strategies to reduce stuttering trialled. 

Success is not guaranteed in this age group, as there are many factors involved, including the child's own motivation and ability to self-monitor their fluency. 

If you are seeking a second opinion we will discuss your child’s current treatment program, rate of progress, the outlook for improved fluency outcomes and other treatment options. The parent who has had primary involvement in running the Lidcombe Program with the child should attend the second opinion appointment. Any other Speech Pathology reports would also be helpful. 

At Speech Results we frequently assess and provide advice for children who have problems articulating the consonant sounds /s/ and /z/. There are two common problems with /s/ sounds: Inter-dental /s/ and Lateral /s/.

Interdental /s/

Speech Pathologists refer to this pattern as inter-dental /s/ because it involves placement of the tongue between the teeth. The effect is a distorted sound which can be similar to the /th/ sound. The problem can be acoustic (inaccurate sound), cosmetic (the child’s tongue is very prominent during speech) or both. Usually only the /s/ and /z/ sounds are affected, but some children may also have inter-dental productions of the sounds /t, d, n, sh, ch, and j/.

This pattern is quite common in young children, and may resolve without therapy by about 5 years of age. Use of a dummy, or finger / thumb sucking tend to promote a forward tongue pattern, and we recommend that these issues are addressed as soon as possible. Any medical issues such as large tonsils or adenoids also need to be investigated, so that the child is able to breathe through the nose and keep the lips and jaw closed.

If the inter-dental /s/ does not resolve naturally, therapy will be required. Treatment is very effective in children aged 8 to 10 years, when at least the first 8 adult teeth have appeared. These children often have an associated problem, known as a tongue thrust swallow, or forward swallow which also needs to be treated.

Lateral /s/

The lateral /s/ has a different quality to the inter-dental /s/. It is a slushy and distorted sound which gives the child’s speech an unusual quality. The lateral /s/ is produced when the child directs air down the sides of the mouth instead of centrally along the tongue. Some children respond quickly and easily to treatment, while others may find it more difficult to change this pattern.

How should my child be communicating at 12 months?
‣ 12 Month Milestones

How many gestures should my child be making at 16 months?
‣ 16 Gestures by 16 Months

My child is 18 months. What should I expect?
‣ 18 Month Milestones

How many words should my child have at 2 years?
‣ 2 Year Milestones

I'm not sure if I should be worried about my 3 year old or not.
‣ 3 Year Milestones

What should my 4 year old be able to say and understand?
‣ 4 Year Milestones

My child is 5 years old. Should I be worried about his/her speech?
‣ 5 Year Milestones

‣ What are the Early Signs of Autism?