The little boy I nanny for developed a stutter about a month and a half ago. I literally went away for a week and a half and came back to find him stuttering. His parents noticed the quick change, too. I wouldn't be concerned, aside from the fact that it literally happened overnight. He is definitely a gifted child, so I'm assuming that it's just a matter of his mind working faster than his mouth, but his parents are really concerned about it. They are going to take him to a speech pathologist in a couple of weeks, but I'm trying to reassure them in the meantime. I think it's fairly common, particularly with kids of superior intelligence (He knew colors, shapes, numbers, and letters--including identifying them in words and on their own at 17 mos. and can identify peoples' names that he knows in writing), but I just want to help put their minds at ease. Does anyone have information on it? Thanks!
2007-07-30 16:20:00 · 4 answers · asked by Sit'nTeach'nNanny 7 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
Your best source for information on stuttering is www.stutteringhelp.org where you can find tips of things you can do at home to help, a risk factor chart that will help you decide if and when the child needs to go for speech therapy, referrals to speech therapists who specialize in treating stuttering, and how to react when the child stutters. They also have a toll free help line if you want to talk to someone.
2007-08-01 04:43:51 · answer #1 · answered by Bud B 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son has also had issues with stuttering. He was seeing a speech pathologist, and they said it is perfectly normal for older toddlers - preschoolers to devolop a stutter. And most of the time it means they are about to go through a "language growth spurt".
My sons is better now, he is 5 and can verbalize his thoughts/feelings much better as his vocabulary has expanded. Once in a while when he is really upset, or excited, he slides back into a stutter.
It never hurts to see a speech pathologist. They have ways of testing/listening to the childs speech patterns to determine if it is normal, or something that needs therapy.
Good luck.
2007-07-31 00:19:49 · answer #2 · answered by momof2kiddos 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You said you went away? And came back and he was stuttering. Have you considered that it was your being gone that precipitated this problem? Perhaps he felt left out or left alone (even tho this is not literally true) or perhaps his parents pushed him just a little too far attempting to provide for his eduational needs. However an evaluation of the child may not cover the emotional needs of this young child and Nanny being gone may have bothered him more than you know.
2007-07-30 23:26:28 · answer #3 · answered by elaeblue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would definatly take him to a speech therapist. it cant hurt,and getting help for it now will help nip it in the bud before it gets worse.
2007-07-30 23:30:51 · answer #4 · answered by holly e 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋