My child has suddenly started stammering. What do I do?
What stammering is, how common it is in children, why it happens and why it changes over time, from the SuperPenguin app's topic for parents and carers.
What is stammering?
Hi there, I’m Jaclyn, and I will support you, along with Ronan, as you progress through your journey with SuperPenguin.
Let’s start with a question: What is stammering? Stammering, also known as stuttering, is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects speech. This means some pathways in the brains of people who stammer are wired slightly differently.
Stammering doesn’t always sound or look the same. Some people repeat sounds or words, for example “g-g-g-give” or stretch sounds, for example, “mmmmmmmmen”, while others experience times when the words won’t come out at all. These are called speech blocks. It is not unusual for people to have a stammer which contains a mix of all these things. And quite often a stammer can change over time.
Stammering is more than stammers
It’s helpful to remember that stammering is more than what we see and hear. It can cause physical tension and lots of emotions, some visible and some hidden. It might stop your child from saying what they want to say, or they might stammer confidently. Every child is different.
Your child is not alone
Around 8 % of children and 2 % of adults stammer. Many children stop stammering by about five years of age, but it is difficult to predict which children will stop and which will continue. Stammering sometimes runs in families and can be partly explained by genetics, for example, 60 % of people who stammer have a family member who also stammers.
Why stammering happens
We don’t know exactly why stammering happens, but research shows it can be affected by things like:
- family history
- how the brain works
- and the world around the child.
Stammering can be confusing, and people often believe things about it that aren’t true. Understanding more about stammering will help you provide the kind of support your child needs. This is what SuperPenguin is all about.
We look forward to helping you learn more as you progress on your journey with us!
This is a topic from the SuperPenguin app, made for families who use it. It is general information about stammering, not advice about your child: nobody can tell you in advance whether your child's stammering will stop on its own, and a speech and language therapist is the person to ask.
Next step: families use SuperPenguin through a participating service, or through their postcode where Postcode Access is commissioned. See how to get access on the Family access page.