should I be worried about my 2 year old stuttering?

Question

my 2 year old has recently started stuttering, she is very intelligent,and can have a conversation, and is a very curious toddler,so everything else seems to be fine apart from her stuttering. I'm so worried this could be early signs of something serious.What can I do?

I really appreciate the answers I've received so far, except for eric. c. you're a prat!!! I took it personal that you're making fun of my child, I hope you don't have kids......ever!!!

Answer 1

Check out the web site for The Stuttering Foundation of America as they have loads of information on stuttering including tips for parents to help a child who starts stuttering. They also have a chart that helps you determine if it is a language phase they are going through or something to be concerned about. They let you know if and when to contact a speech therapist.

Answer 2

Hello! I am a speech therapist. In children, it is very normal for them to stutter when they are young and growing into their expressive language skills. Do NOT tell your child to slow down, as mentioned above, and don't finish sentences for him/her, as also mentioned. Look your child in the eye lovingly, and let him/her finish the thought. That being said, some things I would be concerned with are as follows:
- any kind of facial tension that accompanies stuttering. (This sometimes looks like the child is scared to talk...)
- gasping for air while speaking.
- body movements that accompany stuttering.
- numerous repetitions of sounds, words or phrases. (One or two repetitions is normal.)
- also, if your child seems stressed out to talk.
Of course, if you are concerned, you could call your local school district or go through your private insurance to have your child evaluaed by a local speech/language pathologist. As mentioned above, you may need a referral from your doctor. Good luck, and don't worry too much. Chances are this is normal.
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Answer 3

Mine son did the same thing and in the same way, he is very intelligent. I think he just had so many thoughts in his head, but was still developing language skills that the two would collide. By the time he was 3 he didn't do it anymore because his speech caught up with his brain.

However, if you are concerned you should contact your pediatrician. If it truly is an issue, the earlier it is addressed, the better off your child will be. Even if it's not a true isse a little speech therapy would help any child at that age since most are still developing their speech.

Answer 4

My older son went through this phase about the time he turned two. I had noticed it several months earlier with his cousin (he's six months older than my son), but I didn't say anything to his mom because I didn't want to hurt her feelings. I figured if he needed a speech therapist, she'd take him to one. Well, my son started doing it too. It wasn't like the typical m-m-m-m-my n-n-n-n-name is B-b-b-b-billy. It was more like he was SO excited and just had to tell me something, he was trying so hard to get it out that he got tangled up in his words. He's say stuff like, "Mama--I have I have I have to go get my truck." Basically, he was stuttering whole words--not just consonants. Is this what your daughter is doing? If so, it's been my experience with both my older son and his cousin that this is simply a phase. They're learning so many new words and having so many new experiences at this age that they can't control how they talk, in my opinion, lol.

If it's actually true stuttering, I'd ask her pediatrician what she thinks, and ask about a consult with a speech therapist.

Answer 5

Don't show her you are worried, try and get her to talk more slowly, its hard with a 2 year old, but give it a go. I had a stutter as a child, I would talk fast and my words were coming out faster than I could manage. By the time I was 19 I had stopped myself from stuttering by talking slower. You should also talk to your health visitor, she might need to see a speech therapist in a few years, if she does develop a full blown stutter.
There is one very very important thing you should know though.
NEVER NEVER EVER try and finish off her sentences for her, let her say what she has to say, it knocks your confidence if someone finished off your sentences. Be patient with her, it might not get worse. But please let her speak without finishing her sentence ok?
Good luck

Answer 6

I used to stutter but i've been OK since the beginning of secondary school. I think the most important thing is not to be impatient, not to finish sentences or fill in words, and not to let them feel they're under any pressure. I think my son would have become a stutterer if i hadn't done this, and i've taken great care not to do it. The result is that he doesn't stutter but does take a very long time to finish a sentence sometimes because of umming and er-ing.

Patience is the key i think.

Answer 7

Her mind is probably going faster than her mouth! She probably knows what she wants to say but is having a hard time getting the words to come out. It's actually quite common. Still, I would contact her pediatrician and be sure that this is a symptom of something needing more attention, like a speech pathologist.

Congrats on having a smart little girl!!

Answer 8

No, not at all.
Two year olds think far faster than they can speak, so they seem to repeat words or stutter as a result.
As she ages she should stop. If she is still doing it at 4 yrs old, ask a speech therapist though.

Answer 9

No you shouldn't worry because she is only two and two year olds usually stutter and get their words mixed up very easily it isn't serious.

Answer 10

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