Getting help for stuttering child

Dear Dr. Donya,

My son Jody, who is now three and a half years old and already in kindergarten -- after one a half years of play group -- stutters when he talks. He doesn't stutter when he sings or says a pray by heart.

After an interview with me, my husband and my son, a psychologist said that my son is not "an origin stutter". He only stutters when there is any emotion involved during his speech. She gave us the following tips: * Not to be very strict with him; i.e. we should not push him to follow every different movement when he prays, or push him when he doesn't feel like going to school, since he's still three and a half years old and it is not yet time to build a sense of responsibility. * Send him to public swimming lessons to give him educative play time (when we're not yet home, since we both work). This is meant to give him a chance to talk to other kids and to exercise both sides of his brain to help increase his verbal ability. * Again for "educative play time" we were shown a series of exercises drawing different lines (horizontal, diagonal, vertical, curved), which are supposed to help him build his writing ability. * Folding colored paper or clay can boost his self-confidence, particularly by hanging his work on a board. * To build a much closer father and son relationship.

Besides all the above, do you think that my son needs more help, such as speech therapy ? And where would be the best place for my son?

Thank you for your attention and I appreciate your immediate reply.

From a concerned Mom. -- Nicky

Dear Nicky,

Thank you for sharing some very sound advice. As for stuttering, yes it can be annoying but sometimes it goes away without treatment. Stuttering mostly happens when a child is excited or frustrated, because his brain works faster than his tongue.

Stuttering usually starts during this same time period, but may occasionally appear for the first time when a child reaches school age and, more rarely, as an adult.

Once your little one's brain and mouth get in sync, the stuttering will disappear. In the meantime, continue to talk to him/her in a nice, slow, relaxed way and patiently wait for him/her to make their points.

A parent should begin to worry about a child's stuttering when the child shows these symptoms: * The child is very bothered and upset by the stuttering. * The stuttering occurs in all situations, not just when the child is excited or nervous. * The child seems to be struggling to get words out, with an increase in the pitch of his/her voice. * The repetitions are very frequent and very long. * There are frequent prolongations or blockages of words and sounds. * The child avoids saying certain difficult words.

In your son's case, if you're concerned have your child evaluated by a speech pathologist.

-- Dr. Donya