My Preschooler

[Ken]

Hello all -

Last December my wife and I noticed that our child would sometime stutter. We immediately made an appointment with our pediatrician to have it checked out. We were told that this was normal for a child her age (30 months at the time) and to monitor it to see if the situation improves or not. During this time frame our family was expecting another child and that the pressure of becoming a big sister could be a contributing factor. Over the last several months the stuttering would come and go. In early July the stuttering has taken a turn for the worse and I’m really worried. It seems the stuttering is really bad when my child gets excited. We are calling the pediatrician again today to make another appointment and are going to ask for assistance. My wife and I have reviewed the information available at http://www.stutteringhelp.org and plan on utilizing the information suggested to help our child.

- What more can I do as a parent to help my child?
- Am I over reacting to a problem that may go away on it own?
- As a parent I feel guilty. Did I do something wrong to start the stuttering? Could my actions or behaviors be a part of the problem that could trigger her stuttering?
- Do you have any suggestions for informative websites or books that I should read?
- Do you have any information specific to preschoolers?

Thanks in advance –

Ken

[studentdoc]

http://nsastutter.org/

[Standingtall]

Ken,

I have twin girls who are 4 right now and they both stutter. I understand your feelings and what you are going thru. They also were born with a minor deform skull. The wife also asked about it with the speech therapists and they did ask her if someone in the family stutters. They told her not to worry about it right now, Girls usually out grow it and I sure hope they are right. From a parent point of view, I figure I need a long term plan for my girls. They need lots of love, understanding and encouragements. I don't want to hide them from the world or be afraid of the world. They tried the water slides for the first time this past weekend, they were pretty scared, but when they tried it, they loved it. Your basic parenting goals. I am pretty focus and many people are saying my girls are "daddy's girls". I stutter and had a hard time of if, but my girls shouldn't have to have it so tough, sure they will get teased and stuff like that. The world has changed and now with the internet, you can find all kinds of info and have forums like this ones and talk to some great people. The info you find, you can work them into your overall parenting plan. I sometimes wonder if I had access to the internet, if it exists back in the early 70's, 80's, and the info you can find on it, how far would I be now. Ken, You will find other people here who are parents and we do understand how you feel. Keep in mind it is not your fault and don't even think that. Good luck.

[bignick]

My son is 4 this year and last year I noticed that he was repeating words and contacted the british stammering association. They sent me some useful information which explains that its common for children to get stuck on words at that age.
I too worry about my son stuttering but if he does all we can do is support them.

[bignick]

Hello all -

Last December my wife and I noticed that our child would sometime stutter. We immediately made an appointment with our pediatrician to have it checked out. We were told that this was normal for a child her age (30 months at the time) and to monitor it to see if the situation improves or not. During this time frame our family was expecting another child and that the pressure of becoming a big sister could be a contributing factor. Over the last several months the stuttering would come and go. In early July the stuttering has taken a turn for the worse and I’m really worried. It seems the stuttering is really bad when my child gets excited. We are calling the pediatrician again today to make another appointment and are going to ask for assistance. My wife and I have reviewed the information available at http://www.stutteringhelp.org and plan on utilizing the information suggested to help our child.

- What more can I do as a parent to help my child?
- Am I over reacting to a problem that may go away on it own?
- As a parent I feel guilty. Did I do something wrong to start the stuttering? Could my actions or behaviors be a part of the problem that could trigger her stuttering?
- Do you have any suggestions for informative websites or books that I should read?
- Do you have any information specific to preschoolers?

Thanks in advance –

Ken

Ken,

Sorry forgot to answer your questions.

What can a parent do.

All a parent can do is to be there for them, dont treat them differently because they stutter, give them their quality time, love and the normal things a parent does.

Are you over reacting.

No, I dont think so. You havent said if either you or your wife stutter. Its always a concern when your children suffer from something and you always wish it was you who had it instead of them. As Elliott says, go to speech therapy and if you catch if early that helps.

You feel guilty.

Dont even start to feel guilty about this. Everyone who has a child who stutters feels guilty even though there is nothing they have done for this to happen.

Any suggestions.

If you are in the UK, contact the British stammering association and explain what your fears are and they will send you out information regarding your childs stutter.
Outside of the UK, I dont know but I am pretty damn sure that someone on the forum will be able to help you more.

I hope this helps you and your family regarding your fears.
Please keep up informed on the progress.

Nick

[Ken]

All -

Thank you for responding.

- My wife and I do not stutter. We have no family history of stuttering.

- My daughter is very intelligent for someone her age (I know all parents say that) with an enhanced vocabulary. Believe it or not quite often we receive comments from people that we don't know that she speaks well for someone her age. (Happens all that time at the local park)

- I have noticed a couple of times when she is having trouble saying something but couldn't get the words out; she then said, "Just forget it." (This is what worries me the most)

- We are making an appointment with a speech therapist today. We received the information from our pediatrician and are moving forward.

- My daughter starts preschool next week. We already had a discussion with the preschool teacher about this situation. She is on board and will inform us if she notices anything with her speech or stuttering.

- We are located in the US. Based on the information you all provided and my own research, I believe that the support system for stuttering is quite vast. I’m trying to get up to speed as fast as I can so that I can support my child and be the best parent I can be.

[bignick]

- We are located in the US. Based on the information you all provided and my own research, I believe that the support system for stuttering is quite vast. I’m trying to get up to speed as fast as I can so that I can support my child and be the best parent I can be.


Ken,

With your attitude your daughter will grow up just fine. We can only be there for them and be the best parents possible.

Hope everything goes OK at the speech therapy.

Nick

[bignick]

Do the army have a new slogan and did they pay one of these image companies a huge amount of money to come up with it.

It happens over here with big companies changing their logos or slogans and being charged a fortune for it.

:)

[bignick]

That thomsons rebranding must have cost a fortune. I think it happenend a few years back with BT's logo being redesigned.
Where I worked in my previous company, they hired a firm who came in, told them how to save bucketfuls of money by making over half of the IT redundant, get some other software and that was that. The company paid them a fortune and off they popped. One fateful monday half of the IT got called in and were escorted off the premises which left us to do the work of 3 people. A week after the big Monday event, they rehired 3 members of staff who they had made redundant on a contract basis and to this day still run the same software and have rehired most of the people they got rid of.
It just shows that these companies get paid money for doing nothing constructive.

Nick

[Standingtall]

I don't have any kids.

Firstly because I haven't met anyone with whom to have them.


I can't believe you haven't tried making them.

[Standingtall]

All -

Thank you for responding.

- My wife and I do not stutter. We have no family history of stuttering.

- My daughter is very intelligent for someone her age (I know all parents say that) with an enhanced vocabulary. Believe it or not quite often we receive comments from people that we don't know that she speaks well for someone her age. (Happens all that time at the local park)

- I have noticed a couple of times when she is having trouble saying something but couldn't get the words out; she then said, "Just forget it." (This is what worries me the most)

- We are making an appointment with a speech therapist today. We received the information from our pediatrician and are moving forward.

- My daughter starts preschool next week. We already had a discussion with the preschool teacher about this situation. She is on board and will inform us if she notices anything with her speech or stuttering.

- We are located in the US. Based on the information you all provided and my own research, I believe that the support system for stuttering is quite vast. I’m trying to get up to speed as fast as I can so that I can support my child and be the best parent I can be.
Ken,

That is great news. Teachers now days are better informed, I got two sisters and a couple twin cousins who are teachers and teachers aid's. My girls are behind on their speach development, but they sure understand each other. They were in the Headstart program and K4 and now they start kindergarden this fall. My only advice, don't make it an issue and it won't be, even with her. Good luck and keep us unformed.

[MDSLP]

The most effective program for children between ages 3 - 6 is the Lidcombe Program, developed in Australia.

Stuttering therapy is most effective when presented to young children.

If you have a young child who is stuttering, seek out a speech pathologist who is trained in Lidcombe. It has a success rate of over 90% and research shows that the children do not return to stuttering once they complete the sessions and both parts of the program.

Do a web search on Lidcombe.

[Jimmy169]

There was something I read online about a way to fix a little kids stuttering fast and much easier than an adult. Please correct me if I'm wrong but has anyone else heard of this?

Basically, if you can act like you have a harder time hearing him, make him speak up, it should help him with his stuttering. It was a theory I read about online, I will try to find the article, but when the family would let the kid wear earplugs, and they themselve's wore earplugs sometime's, he would teach himself to retalk in a louder way with a greater presense to his voice...you know I'm no good at explaining this, let me find the article, one sec.

edit: http://health.learninginfo.org/stuttering-children.htm

Here it is, this is a very interesting theory that helped me for a bit when I tried to just talk louder, I felt like I could conqour stuttering, but since I'm 22 years old now, and an adult, like most of the things I've tried, it kinda wears off after a while, after all these years of stuttering it might be a bad habbit and damaged my vocal cords, idk, that's why I'm here. But they are saying for children this could be an easy permanent cure.

[MDSLP]

Jimmy,

That method sounds really bizarre and traumatic.

Look up the Lidcombe Program. The success rate is over 90% and it's family centered and gentle in its approach. It's behaviorally based.

[Jimmy169]

Jimmy,

That method sounds really bizarre and traumatic.

Look up the Lidcombe Program. The success rate is over 90% and it's family centered and gentle in its approach. It's behaviorally based.

I'll look into it thanks, just because I'm curious myself of the different methods they have out there, even if it is for preschoolers.

I'd still encourage someone to read the link I posted, I found it very interesting and I think I just explained it bad.