As preschoolers gain fluency and fluency in their speech, certain disorders that raise doubts in parents may appear: will it be normal for me to repeat the syllables of words so much? Should I help you if you get stuck pronouncing? How to know when fluency problems are a normal part of language development?
According to data from the Spanish Stuttering Foundation, five percent of pediatric children stutter, although we must know how to differentiate between "evolutionary stuttering" (which disappears spontaneously) and that which is not. On World Stuttering Day, we want to give visibility to this speech disorder that occurs in childhood and the importance of early detection.
What is stuttering and what are its causes?
The Stuttering is a speech disorder that affects your rhythm and fluency, and that is characterized by frequent repetitions or extensions of syllables or words. This alteration of the language is more common in the pediatric age, and an early diagnosis is essential to know how to differentiate it from any other typical problem of verbal fluency.
In Babies and more Speech disorders: theories about stutteringAfter 18 months, the so-called "evolutionary stuttering" may occur, consisting of repetitions or prolongations of sounds, syllables or words. This disorder is very common among children. and tends to disappear on its own after a while, but if it persists beyond 12 months we could start talking about stuttering.
It is not known for sure what are the causes of stuttering, although recent research suggests that it occurs as a result of an interrelation between biological, psychological, linguistic and social factors.There are some associated risk factors to stuttering:
On the one hand, the genetic predisposition. The risk of stuttering in the child increases if you have a family member with this language disorder.
In adulthood there are more men with stuttering problems than women, which is that girls are more likely to refer that the children.
When stuttering begins before three and a half years, a greater probability of overcoming this picture has been observed.
The Spanish Stuttering Foundation advises that in case of any doubt related to our child's speech, we go to a specialist as soon as possible. Early diagnosis is key to identify the disorder and help minimize symptoms, or even complete remission.
My son "gets stuck" when he speaks, when should I worry?
Since the child begins to pronounce his first words until he acquires verbal fluency, several years have elapsed in which he is learning complex rules of language and expanding his vocabulary. Throughout this process, especially between three and five years, It is normal for some interruptions or obstacles to arise when speaking, without this causing any cause for concern.
In fact, between 65 and 85% of the time, these speech disorders disappear spontaneously.
In Babies and more Main disorders of language, speech or voice: how to identify them and when to go to a speech therapist?The main differences between a typical language fluency disorder and a stuttering problem are:
Typical fluidity disorders can last from several weeks to several months, although it is recommended that if after six months the problems persist, the child is valued by a specialist.
Typical fluidity disorders tend to subside spontaneously until they disappear. But nevertheless, stuttering can be intermittent, that is, to spend moments in which the child seems to speak well and others that do not.
When there are problems of verbal fluency, the child tends to repeat phrases, words or syllables. When there is stuttering, the child tends to hold the first sound of a word ("Vaaaaaaaamos al cole"), opens his mouth for a few seconds without any sound coming out (that is, it locks before he starts speaking), repeats syllables or sounds and, above all, shows tension when talking.
Thus, stuttering can be accompanied by a series of gestures that involve an effort when speaking, such as blinking, tension in the muscles of the mouth and neck, avoidance of eye contact ...
When these secondary behaviors appear, they usually also be accompanied by a certain anxiety and frustration, since the child is aware of the difficulty he has when speaking and this causes him suffering. That is why early diagnosis and early attention are essential, in order to avoid reaching this situation.
What to do and what not to do in case of stuttering
"Do nothing" or "wait" are the main mistakes that are committed when the child stutters, since the sooner he begins to receive help, the more likely he is to resolve it or reduce the symptoms, thus minimizing the impact on his quality of life.
If our child stutters these are the recommendations of the experts on what to do and what not to do to help him:
The first and most important thing we should do is respect our son in all its essence. Accepting him as he is, without labels or judgments, loving and showing him will make him feel safe and confident.
Never laugh at him, or make fun of him, or avoid eye contact. Remember that our gestures and our way of interacting with the stuttering child can mean, from a great help to him, to the contrary.
We must be patient, don't interrupt him, don't finish the sentences or words for him and avoid comments like "Talk slower", "do not be nervous", "think before you talk", "breathe"…
Although these phrases are said with the best of intentions, not only will they not help the stuttering child but they will make the situation more tense, since the child will perceive it as a rejection of his speech, and this will cause greater anxiety.
Nor should we congratulate the child who stutters when he comes out of the block or says a sentence without interruption, as this will cause him to feel evaluated every time he speaks and, therefore, will increase his level of anxiety.
Let's give example of good speaking habits without telling the child how he has to do it. In this sense, it is important to use a slow but natural rhythm, to vocalize well, not to speak in a complex or convoluted way, to pause between sentences ...
If our son stutters we must inform the environment of this fact; From family, to friends, acquaintances and of course teachers (who should be especially attentive to any indication of bullying) should know how to treat the child and what are the guidelines to follow.
If the child is aware of his stutteringWe should talk to him naturally and encourage him to express his feelings when he feels frustrated or sad. Never tell him that "nothing is happening" or that "he doesn't have to feel this way", but rather understand and share his emotion with him.
In Babies and more How to help your young child manage his emotions Stuttering should not become the center of our conversations nor of our day to day. It is normal for parents to feel worried or confused about the situation, but we must try not to become obsessed or distressed with the issue, since we will unconsciously be transmitting these negative feelings to our child.
Before a particularly bad day for our child, we can help you with resources based on the game, such as whispering or singing. This will help you relax and eliminate tensions.
Dedicate a little time a day exclusively to talk to our son, to listen to him without interruptions, and to show him interest in what he tells us, and not in the way he does. Reading stories is also a great help in achieving greater verbal fluency.
What is the treatment to be followed in case of stuttering?
The type of treatment and its duration will depend on the age of the child, the time he has been stuttering and the type of stuttering he presents. But, in general, The therapist will work with both the child and his parents.
The work to be done with the child will consist of games and linguistic activities that help him in his expression, without forcing or demanding, as well as speech control techniques. A parallel therapy will be carried out with the parents, teaching them to treat the child and to handle the situation so that self-esteem problems do not arise.
In Babies and more 15 positive phrases to tell your children that they will strengthen their self-esteemIn addition, if the child has developed associated behaviors (psychological problems, low self-esteem, difficulties in social relationships ...) should also be specifically addressed in therapy.
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