Suddenly stuttering

GabbyG · February 2012

DS is 3 years, 4 months. Suddenly, he is stuttering, often on the first or second word of a sentence, and he squeezes his eyes together like he's trying to squeeze the words out. He's a very smart, verbal kid. This is been going on for a week. Has this happened to others? If so, how long did the phase last?

anna12 · February 2012

This happened to my DCP's son around the same age. I think it lasted a month or two, and then went away on its own. They did take him to the Dr. and was told it was normal, but it's still probably worth caling your own ped. to see what they think.

FutureMrsCaesar · February 2012

That happened to my neice around 4 yrs old. My sister was totally freaked out but it turned out to be just a phase. I guess their little brains start working that their mouths and the stuttering starts. You could try telling her to just take her time and think about what she wants to say, then say it. But likely it will pass on its own.

cj803kj411 · February 2012

My son went through this really bad a few months ago and every once in a while it happens again. but it's usually just when he's confused or really trying to process something he gets flustered and can't get it out. We just tell him to relax and try again and he's fine.

kmhunt11 · February 2012

Very common. Their vocabularies can't keep up with their thought processes.

GabbyG · February 2012

Thanks! It is great to get this feedback and to know that it is common.

Hopin4aBaby · February 2012

DD1 starting stuttering about 2 months before my youngest was born. (She was almost 2.5) She stuttered for 9 long months. She was also very verbal and starting talking at a young age. Her stuttering went through different patterns and we were very concerned. We talked to her pedi and he said that it was very normal and that she would outgrow it. After her stuttering for months and feeling like it was only getting worse, we had her evaluated and it was deemed that her stuttering was on the low end of extreme. However, about a month to month and a half later (right after her 3rd birthday) it disappeared as fast as it had come one. Now she does great. We notice small things but I think what she does know is very typical of kids her age who are too busy to stop and concentrate on what they are saying but my husband and I are just hyper-sensitive to it because of her past.

DragonflyBelle · February 2012

My nephew is 3 and is going through this. He repeats words and phrases to get a rise out of his parents. Evidently he learned it from another kid at pre-K-3 that does the same thing. Too bad it took several pedi visits, and a few speech/language pathologist visits to determine he was just "being cute".

AmberB75 · February 2012

Hi! I havent posted on here before but we just went through this with my son so I thought I'd respond. My son is 3 yrs and 3 months and is extremely verbal and very advanced with his communication skills. Around Christmas he suddenly began stuttering sometimes to the point that it was hard to listen to him. It really seemed as though his mouth was having trouble catching up with his thoughts. Most often he would repeat the same word multiple times mid-sentence and it was usually a transition word such as how, so, and, but.

We made a point to just let him finish his thought without interrupting him to ensure he knew he had our attention. We also tried to slow down our own speech in the hopes he would mimic. It resolved itself in about 6 weeks. I think he was making another leap with his verbal skills with regard to compound sentences.

I was really freaked out about it but everything I read said this can be common and only to worry if it lasts longer than a couple months. Just be careful not to tell the child to slow down or take it easy as that's not the problem. The worst thing that can happen is that they become self conscious.

Best of luck to you!

Want a personalized experience?

Suddenly stuttering

Re: Suddenly stuttering

Choose Another Board

Search Boards