Does anyone else's toddler stutter?

[RadioFanatic]

So, i have a 2 year 2 month old DS who is brilliant, I think. He is very ahead in his speech, meaning his vocabulary is amazing. His pediatrician was amazed at his two year old app't how many words he knows and his ability to put together pretty long sentences. His daycare teacher says his vocabulary is the best she has heard in someone his age in a long time.

The past month or so, however, he has began stuttering - A LOT. Beginning of the sentence, middle of the sentence. m-m-m-m-m-m- or d-d-d-d- or p-p-p-p-p-, things like that. He doesn't stutter when he sings.

I've read up on it and it seems normal; however, it still seems like a lot to me. There is barely a sentence that he doesn't stutter these days and it seems to be happening more over time, not less.

I would love to hear from parents in the know on this issue! thanks!

 

[earthur0915]

My daughter is 2 yrs 4 months old and she has started this too...but not regularly...just when she gets overly excited about something, she has trouble getting the words out!

My niece did the constant stuttering from the time she was 2 until right before she turned 3...then almost overnight, it went away!

 

[gulf breeze]

Your child sounds like my oldest dd when she was that age. I thought everyone elses kids were waaayyy behind on talking and come to find out she was ahead! I think they can say and think the words in their heads faster than they can say them out loud so they sorta get stuck. If they're gettin frustrated just calmly say slow down and maybe start over. DIL mock and mimick the way your child talks calmly knock them up-side the head (did I say that out loud?) Sorry, but that's what I felt like doing My youngest had trouble saying "th" sounds so we sang Frosty the Snowman LOts! You know...thumpty, thump thump look at frosty go. Most info I found said not to bring it to the childs attention, including words they don't pronounce right. But if they're pronouncing it wrong and you don't correct them how are they going to know it's wrong? We must have done something right 'cause both my girls know lots of big words and they know how to use them!

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

DS3 stutters too... I think it's more of a "IknowwhatIwannasaybutdon'tknowhowtosayit." She should grow out of it.

 

[PixiePlanner]

DS did this at about 2y6m. I actually had a speech therapist evaluate him -long story. Come to find out, he had the comprehention of a 4.5y old and the speech of a 3.5y old. The therapist said that his mind was working faster than his mouth and he would outgrow it. He did.

 

[RadioFanatic]

Your child sounds like my oldest dd when she was that age. I thought everyone elses kids were waaayyy behind on talking and come to find out she was ahead! I think they can say and think the words in their heads faster than they can say them out loud so they sorta get stuck. If they're gettin frustrated just calmly say slow down and maybe start over. If your DIL mock and mimick the way your child talks calmly knock them up-side the head (did I say that out loud?) Sorry, but that's what I felt like doing My youngest had trouble saying "th" sounds so we sang Frosty the Snowman LOts! You know...thumpty, thump thump look at frosty go. Most info I found said not to bring it to the childs attention, including words they don't pronounce right. But if they're pronouncing it wrong and you don't correct them how are they going to know it's wrong? We must have done something right 'cause both my girls know lots of big words and they know how to use them!

That's awful about your IL's! I agree about slapping them on the head. We also do not respond AT ALL to his stuttering and just wait him out. We then respond and just move on from there. I like the Frosty idea - I know what i'm going to be sining tonight!

 

[pacrosby]

Speech/language pathologist here (worked for 16 yrs before staying home with my kids). Yup, it's a normal process for many little ones (although generally not seen until a little later, say 3 or 4). Chances are it will disappear as quickly as it arrived. Just ignore it and give it time (if it starts to be accompanied by physical behaviors or your child starts to seem disturbed by it THEN I'd suggest going for an evaluation).

And as far as 'sound errors' (substituting one sound for another) they are also part of the process and the overwhelming majority of kids will resolve them on their own without help from a professional or mom/dad. You actually do not have to 'teach' them how to say it right, they will work it out in their own time if so allowed. Patience is generally the answer.

 

[trennr]

My DS10 when he was about 3-4 started stuttering.

I really think it is they get stuck trying to say everything at once when they get excited. Cause he still does it from time to time.

After several neurological test...we took him to a Speech Therapist once a week for about 3-4 Months.

I would suggest seeing your Pediatrician to make sure it's not anything serious.

For now incourage your child to slow down and try to s t r e t c h - o u t the word they are stuck on.

 

[abarry90]

Totally normal at that age! I was worried when my son did the same for a few month between about 26 months and 30 months. I went so far as to call a specialist who said to give it 6 months or so. It just disappeared on its own. I would say it lasted about 3-4 months, pretty much over the course of the summer, about the time his vocab was rapidly expanding and he was putting multiple sentences together. It is very frustrating but also developmentally normal. Not all kids go through it but it is also not uncommon and they usually outgrow it on their own.

The most important thing is not to correct them or try to help them finish the sentence but to just pretend like they are talking normal. If you acknowledge that they are doing it it can frustrate them more. They will usually work through it on their own.

 

[mouseketeer_mom]

so ironic that you should post this today. I remember my brother stuttering terribly as an older toddler through about 6 or 7. I'm five years his senior and I can remember being so worried about it. I even remember asking my mother why she didn't seem worried. Oh, so wise was my mother. No matter how much I thought he stuttered, she was so relaxed about it. "oh, he'll grow out of it" and, of course, he did.

Today, my brother, first time father of a 2 year old daughter, asks me if I thought he should take his daughter to speech therapist. "She's developed a terrible stutter!" I smiled and assured him, she'll grow out of it.

 

[jennb]

Same stutter with my then 2 year old DD - she grew out of it. Her mind was simply going faster than the words could come out of her mouth!

Sign of brilliance of course!

Boy, you should hear some of the gigantic words that now come out of her 4 year old mouth! LOL

 

[gulf breeze]

Same stutter with my then 2 year old DD - she grew out of it. Her mind was simply going faster than the words could come out of her mouth!

Sign of brilliance of course!

Boy, you should hear some of the gigantic words that now come out of her 4 year old mouth! LOL

Yup...we spend lots of time trying to get them to talk only to tell them to be quiet!! My oldest wasn't 2 yet and I found her beating the heck out one of her dolls I asked what the problem was and she said " It won't cooperate with me" She said it plain as day too. I told the Dr. at her well child check up and he just laughed and said "You're going to have you hands full" My youngest keeps up just fine too...at 3 she was saying stuff like "oh, it transforms into big" (talking about a tripod for a laser level)

 

[Lstar311]

My son, who will be 3 in 2 weeks is stuttering also. Pretty bad at times. He mostly repeats the beginning of his sentences or his words. I notice it more when he starts a sentence with I. I am trying very hard not to worry too much about it since it seems common but it is very frustrating to hear him stutter. I don't want him to be self concious about it so I never say anything to him or finish his words for him. I must admit I'm a little embarrassed when he does it around other people. I plan on asking his dr. at his 3 year check up.

 

[RadioFanatic]

thanks everyone for all of your thoughts. He doesn't seem phased by it so I am trying not to be either. It really bothers my husband though and he keeps wanting to bring him to the doctor (just talks to me about it - not in front of DS). I'm going to wait a little though to see how things go.

 

[nyyankeegirl]

Both of my boys stuttered for a little while. I was worried with the 1st child, but was more relaxed about it with the 2nd. The hardest part was when another child at church told my little guy "You don't talk so good". This was probably 5 yrs ago, but I still remember it so clearly -- it broke my heart.

 

[w84no1]

My 4 year old has been doing it for about 8 months. Now my 2 year old is doing it. Seems to be worse when they are excited.

 

[billwendy]

HI! I work in a children's hospital with a lot of GREAT experienced Speech Therapists. It is definately a normal phase....kids minds work faster than their lips move - lol...speech is one of the finest of the fine motor skills that we have!! So in a young child it can be kinda like clumsiness when you learned to walk or run....A sign to look for is if they are making any kind of facial grimaces or eye blinking when they are stuttering....if you are concerned it is something more, try to video your child stuttering, this will help the therapist alot - many times young kids wont talk very much at a speech evaluation!!!

 

[candielips]

My DD started this in the last few months and she is almost 3. Again, really only happens whens shes excited. I will usually tell her to slow down and think about what she wants to say and it usually works. If not, I will help her w/ her sentence. For example if she is stuttering the words "I want, I, I, I, I want, I want..." I will say "you want?" and then she finishes her sentence. I'm probably not doing the right thing but it works for us until her speech can keep up to her brilliant little mind