Stuttering in a child - what are the causes and how to get rid of it?
Stuttering in a child - what are the causes and how to get rid of it?
Stuttering (logoneurosis) is a common speech problem that affects many people around the world and can occur in both adults and children. It can make it difficult to communicate successfully. Also, logoneurosis often causes difficulties in the child's social adaptation. To understand this phenomenon and help those who face it, it is important to consider its causes, types, and ways to overcome it.
In this article, we will look at various aspects of this phenomenon and pay special attention to children's logoneurosis. After all, early detection and support play an important role in overcoming this problem. Stuttering is a complex problem, but with the right understanding and approach, it can be overcome, helping people to communicate freely and smoothly.
What is stuttering?
Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by uncontrolled interruptions in speech, repetition of sounds, words, and phrases. The main sign of stuttering is a violation of the smoothness and rhythm of speech.
It can be a temporary phenomenon in children during speech development, but in some cases it remains throughout life.
Causes of stuttering
Studies show that up to 60% of family members may have a genetic cause of stuttering. That is, if one or more family members have this problem, their descendants may be prone to stuttering. A significant role here is played by imitating the speech habits of adults with this defect. The child simply learns to stutter. Therefore, before giving birth to a son or daughter, it is very important to correct this defect in yourself so as not to pass it on to your offspring.
Also, stuttering in children can be caused by the following reasons:
- Complications after infectious diseases: Some pathologies can affect speech development. This may be due to changes in the language center of the brain after infections. Even the flu can cause such a complication in childhood. We don't want to scare you, but it is important to understand that this respiratory infection is more difficult for children than for adults. Therefore, if a fever occurs (especially if it is difficult to bring it down), you should always consult a pediatrician or family doctor.
- Delayed speech development. Children who experience delays in speech development may be prone to stuttering.
- Difficulties in the interaction of different parts of the brain with each other. The central nervous system includes the language center, which is responsible for speech formation and grammar. Speech also requires precise control of the muscles of the lips, tongue, throat, and airways. The sound analyzer, memory, and attention play a significant role here. If any of these elements fall out, the child may begin to stutter.
- Too fast speech rate. This can cause stuttering because a person tries to say something faster than the thoughts appear in his or her head.
- Stressful and traumatic situations. This can lead to nervous system excitement and muscle tension. This can lead to uncontrollable muscle reactions that can manifest in stuttering.
- Excessive demands on the child and emphasizing pronunciation errors. Putting excessive pressure on a child's speech skills, especially if the focus is on pronunciation errors, can lead to stuttering due to stress and psychological pressure. The child simply begins to be afraid and doubtful, which causes stuttering.
- Artificially retraining a child from left-handed to right-handed. Switching from one hand to the other may require additional effort and coordination between both halves of the brain. This can affect the uniform development of the language center, which is responsible for understanding and producing speech. In addition, it can cause stress for the child due to excessive expectations from him or her. And this already affects stuttering. We can see how closely all the reasons we describe are related to each other.
- Specific psychological conditions, such as anxiety. They can lead to stuttering or worsen its course.
Stuttering can also be caused by a brain injury. These factors can affect the onset of stuttering in different people, and taking them into account will help to better understand this problem and develop individualized approaches to its treatment and support.
Types and forms of stuttering
Stuttering can take on different forms and manifest itself in a variety of ways. The two main forms are neurotic and neurosis-like, each of which has its own characteristics.
Neurotic
This form is usually associated with psychological factors, such as trauma or stress. It can occur as a reaction to psychological pressure and negative emotions.
It usually manifests itself in children between the ages of 2 and 4 when they encounter stressful situations or trauma.
Neurotic stuttering is usually not associated with genetic factors or heredity.
Stuttering can appear in certain situations, such as during public speaking or important conversations.
Neurosis-like
This form is usually hereditary and can be detected in children later compared to the previous one, most often at the age of 3-4 years.
It is usually persistent and long-lasting, does not disappear with age and does not depend on external factors.
Other types of stuttering in children
There are also different types of stuttering that can be manifested within both main forms:
- Clonic. It is characterized by repeated repetition of one syllable, sound or word.
- Tonic stuttering. Accompanied by stretching of vowel sounds or long pauses in the middle of words.
- Combined stuttering. This is a combination of different forms of stuttering, where different speech disorders can be observed.
Understanding the different forms and types of stuttering helps professionals and educators develop individualized approaches to children who face this problem and provide them with appropriate support and treatment
Stages of stuttering in children
Stage | Characteristics |
First | The problem manifests itself periodically, usually when the child is worried or stressed. Parents may not attach much importance to this, which can lead to further progression of logoneurosis. |
The second | The child stutters even at rest and for no apparent reason. Stuttering becomes more persistent, and it can cause psychological discomfort. |
Third | Speech disorders become clearly visible. The child may accompany stuttering with obsessive gestures. The child simplifies speech, which can lead to a limited active vocabulary. |
Fourth | At this stage, logophobia - fear of speech - appears. The child refuses to communicate with other people. He or she may feel panic when trying to speak. |
Thus, logoneurosis can progress and worsen the child's speech and psychological state if timely support and professional help are not provided. It is important to detect signs of logoneurosis at an early stage and seek professional help for appropriate treatment and support.
Features of stuttering at different ages
At the age of 18-24 months, children may show the first signs of stuttering when they try to form their first sentences. This is a completely natural phenomenon, and it is important to be patient with your child. If the stuttering lasts longer or is accompanied by facial expressions and gestures, you should consult a speech therapist, but not before the age of 3.
At this stage of speech development, this indicates that the process of speech development is underway. Stuttering at this stage is normal and, as a rule, disappears without special intervention.
However, it is important to keep in mind that there are cases when stuttering can become more prolonged and distinct. If a child's stuttering is accompanied by difficulty in pronouncing words, facial expressions, or gestures, it is worth consulting a speech therapist. This specialist can determine whether this is only a temporary phase in the development of speech or requires additional study and correction.
It should also be noted that the child's early age and developmental stage are important in determining the need for speech therapy support. Too early a visit to a speech therapist may be ineffective, as many of these phenomena are part of the normal process of learning to speak in a baby.
In any case, support and understanding from parents are important in shaping children's speech and overcoming possible difficulties.
Preschool period
At this age, children are actively learning the language and developing their speech skills. Therefore, periodic stops and minor interruptions in speech can be part of normal development. This in preschool age can often depend on situational stress or emotional tension. The child may stutter more during important events or when communicating with strangers.
It is important to keep in mind that children at this age may be more sensitive to the reactions of others to their speech. Negative comments or laughter can affect their self-confidence and cause stuttering.
Each child is unique, and therefore stuttering in the preschool period may have a different degree of severity and duration in different cases. It is necessary to take into account the individual characteristics of the child and provide him/her with support and understanding.
At the same time, it is necessary to know the signals that may indicate a potential (or existing) problem. Later we will consider them in more detail.
School years
At school, children are exposed to more influence from others, and this can affect their self-esteem and emotional state. Comments from classmates or teachers can be stressful for a child and lead to an increase in stuttering. Teacher pressure and the requirements of the school curriculum also play a significant role. If a child is prone to stuttering, it can make their condition worse, especially in situations where they need to speak quickly and accurately.
Stuttering that persists or worsens during school age may require professional support from a speech therapist. Qualified professionals can develop individualized approaches to stuttering correction and provide children with the help they need.
How to get rid of stuttering in a child?
Let's look at methods that can help parents and teachers overcome this speech problem in children.
When to seek help?
To begin with, you need to understand when you can sleep peacefully and when you should sound the alarm. The following "red flags" may indicate that a child's stuttering is becoming pathological:
- Systematic nature. The child begins to stutter regularly and more often.
- The child begins to prolong words instead of saying them briefly.
- You can see that it is difficult for the child to speak, and he or she notices that he or she stutters.
- Tension of the articulatory muscles.
- The child tries to speak inappropriately.
- Simultaneously with stuttering, inadequate facial expressions or gestures appear.
And in general, if you feel that something is wrong, it is better to go to a speech therapist, and he will tell you whether you need to worry.
Psychological support
Psychological support plays a very important role. It is important both to try to provide it yourself and to periodically take your child to a professional psychologist. They can assess the child's condition and determine the degree and nature of stuttering.
It is worth noting that in case of psychogenic stuttering, when the main cause is psychological factors and emotional stress, the role of a psychologist becomes even more important. A psychologist can help identify the roots and factors of stress or psychological discomfort that cause stuttering and develop strategies to overcome them.
A speech therapist, in turn, can provide specific speech therapy and exercises aimed at improving speech and developing correct articulation. However, without addressing the psychological aspects, success in stuttering correction may be limited.
Therefore, the combination of work of a speech therapist and a psychologist is the best approach to getting rid of stuttering, especially in cases where psychological aspects play an important role in the formation of this speech problem. The joint efforts of these specialists can be the most effective way to achieve positive results and support the child on the way to improving his or her speech and emotional state.
Recommendations for parents
First of all, you need to think about what caused the problem in your particular case. Perhaps there is someone in your family who often speaks with a stutter. Or, for example, you know someone who stutters. Has there been anything in your son or daughter's life that has caused him or her to be afraid?
If there were no such situations, there is a high probability that the speech disorder is only related to age-related developmental features. Depending on what you have understood, you need to build a further strategy and tactics.
But regardless of what exactly caused the stuttering, you should follow the recommendations below:
- You don't need to force your child to speak perfectly all the time. In general, you shouldn't demand perfect behavior from them. This creates a neurosis that can manifest itself in this form.
- In no case should you focus your child's attention on pronunciation and make comments. Your son or daughter will not understand this anyway, and they will develop a complex.
- Do not say phrases like "Don't stutter". This leads to the fact that the child becomes afraid and ashamed, which makes stuttering worse.
- You can't talk about a child's difficulties in front of a child, thinking that he or she won't understand. He will understand if he is already 3-4 years old.
- There is no need to reward the child for correctly pronounced phrases, as this will teach him or her that it is better to stutter for a certain time and then receive praise.
All of these recommendations are aimed at improving communication with a child who stutters and supporting them in this process. It is important to create a favorable atmosphere where the child feels supported and learns to speak without stress and shame. These points will help to increase the child's self-esteem and comfort in communication, as well as contribute to his or her psychosocial development.
Exercises for stuttering
The following exercises can be used to help alleviate stuttering:
Activity name | Description |
"Let's warm our hands" | To begin with, you need to take a slow breath through your nose, and then exhale the air through your mouth so that it comes out warm. |
"Swing for a toy" | Here, the adult invites the boy or girl to lie on his or her back in a comfortable position and then places a small toy on the child's stomach. After that, the child should take a deep breath through the nose so that the stomach slowly inflates like a big balloon. After that, he/she should gently "deflate" the balloon, i.e. exhale. The toy should bob up and down. This is an interesting game for the child, which at the same time improves the smoothness of breathing. |
"Soap Bubbles" | It's easy to blow soap bubbles with your child, but it's important to watch how smoothly you exhale. |
"Race" | During hygiene procedures, you can make water races by blowing away objects of different weights. You can also whip up a large amount of foam in a bowl and hide a toy at the bottom. And you can look for it together with an adult, blowing this foam. |
"Singers" | Here you need to sing vowel sounds together with your child and combine them. |
Using these exercises and games can help alleviate stuttering in children. They help develop smooth breathing, improve speech control, and reduce stress levels. It is important to practice these exercises regularly for best results. However, these exercises are not a substitute for full-fledged sessions with a speech therapist, and this is also important to understand.
Prognosis
The prognosis of stuttering depends on several factors. If the first consultation with a specialist takes place immediately upon suspicion of a speech impairment in a child, the prognosis can be favorable, with complete elimination of the speech defect in about 70-80% of cases. It is important to take into account the child's age. Children aged 3-5 years achieve the greatest success with correction.
However, in children who already go to school, stuttering treatment is more difficult, and the chances of complete elimination of speech disorders are reduced. For children aged 9-11, this task becomes even more difficult.
To prevent the development of stuttering, it is important to take preventive measures, such as maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy, avoiding birth trauma and psychological stress in preschool. It is also important to create a favorable atmosphere in the family where the child does not experience stress and conflicts, and where his or her language skills are supported.
For children who already have speech disorders, it is important to receive timely and high-quality correctional assistance from specialized professionals, such as speech therapists. Working with a child at an early age has the greatest effect, and speech deficiencies can be successfully corrected.
Frequently asked questions
Question | Answer |
What is stuttering in children? | Stuttering is a speech disorder when a child has difficulty pronouncing sounds, words, or has an uneven rhythm. |
How to distinguish normal stuttering from a problem? | Your son or daughter's stuttering may be temporary. The problem lies in the duration and intensity of the disorder. If it lasts for more than 6 months, it may be a reason to see a specialist. |
What are the causes of stuttering? | They are diverse, including genetic factors, psychological stress, trauma, or a fast pace of life. |
Is it possible to get rid of a child's stutter? | Yes, many children with stuttering can get rid of this defect through specialized correctional work. |
At what age is it best to start treatment? | It is best to start treating stuttering in children aged 3-5 years, when speech is still actively developing. |
How can parents help a child with stuttering? | It is recommended to create a supportive atmosphere at home, avoid putting pressure on the child, and work together with specialists. |
Is it possible to prevent stuttering? | Thus, prevention includes a healthy lifestyle for pregnant women, avoidance of trauma and psycho-emotional stress in early childhood, and a favorable atmosphere at home. |