HealthInfo Canterbury
Stuttering in children
Kikikiki ki ngā tamariki
Stuttering is an interruption to the flow of your speech that you cannot control. It is also called stammering.
Stuttering can happen in different ways, such as:
- repeating sounds ("W w w where is my book?")
- repeating words ("Give give give it to me")
- prolongations, or stretching sounds ("That ffffffffish is swimming")
- blocks, or pauses ("I – I like ice cream").
We do not know exactly what causes stuttering. We think it is caused by problems in the part of your brain that produces speech. It may also be partly genetic, as stuttering often runs in families.
Around 5 to 10% of preschool tamariki (children) will stutter. Stuttering usually develops when tamariki are between 2 and 4. But every tamaiti (child) goes through a period of "normal non-fluency". This can be mistaken for stuttering.
In normal non-fluency, tamariki who are learning to talk and starting to combine words into short sentences repeat whole words. For example, "and and..." or "because because..." While this can be worrying, it is different from stuttering.
If there is a family history of stuttering, seek the advice of a speech-language therapist. Also seek help if the non-fluency continues for more than three months.
Diagnosing stuttering in children
Only a qualified speech-language therapist or paediatrician can diagnose stuttering. There is no simple test your doctor can use.
Treating stuttering in children
Some tamariki recover naturally from stuttering. Several treatments are available for those who do not. Your speech-language therapist will choose the best one to meet your child's needs.
Helping your child with stuttering
There are several things you can do to help your tamaiti communicate clearly.
- Focus on what your tamaiti is saying, not on how they are saying it.
- Do not tell your tamaiti to stop, slow down or take a breath or make any similar comments. This can bring unnecessary attention to the stuttering.
- Give your tamaiti time to speak.
- Do not interrupt your tamaiti.
- Do not speak for your tamaiti or let other tamariki speak for them.
- Your tamaiti may express frustration. For example, "Mummy, I can't get my words out!". If so, acknowledge their frustration but do not tell them what to say or how to say it.
- Learn more about stuttering by visiting the START website. START stands for Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust.
Getting help for stuttering in children
- Make sure your tamaiti sees a qualified speech-language therapist. If your tamaiti is under 5, you can also contact the Ministry of Education's Early Intervention Service. If your tamaiti is over 5, your school can refer them to the Ministry of Education's Communication Service. There may be a waiting list and not all tamariki may be eligible.
You may wish to pay to see a private speech-language therapist. You can search for a therapist on the Speech-language Therapists' Association website.
- Contact START. START aims to increase the awareness of stuttering. It also aims to provide best-practice treatment. This is for tamariki, rangatahi (young people) and adults who stutter. It is based in Auckland but offers consultations by telephone and Zoom.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
- The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering – What is stammering?
Information about the characteristics of stammering (stuttering).
- The Stuttering Foundation
Information and resources for tamariki, rangatahi and adults. It includes a page of free e-books you can download.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2023.
SourcesReview key: HISCD-79694
