My daughter has been stuttering for some time but it has gradually got worse. She stutters the most when asking a question especially when the question begins with the word ‘can’.
At times she will repeat it up to ten times before being able to move on to the rest of the question. I am just wondering if any course of action needs to take place? Should I visit my doctor or just see if she grows out of it?
I am just worrying as she will be going to nursery this year and just worry for her although it doesn’t seem to bother her and it definitely does not bother me. It’s just the reaction of other children that I worry about as I don’t want her to feel different from them – although she is in her own little way unique.
(E.B, 5 March 2009)
The first thing to remember is that many young children repeat the first word of a sentence-sometimes to keep your attention and sometimes because they need time to think about what to say, so it may well be that your daughter grows out of this eventually.
However, if you are concerned then it would be a good idea to arrange a meeting with the staff at your child’s nursery well in advance of her starting there, to establish the extent of her difficulties and to find a way forward.
Staff at the nursery will be able to offer advice and support and put you in touch with other agencies and specialists who can work with you to find a solution. It would also be good for them to meet your daughter and spend some time with her, and most nurseries will allow you to do this.
Reasons Behind the Problem
It is also a good idea to establish why your daughter has started to stutter, as speech impediments can be the result of stress, worry and anxiety or linked to events that have happened such as a change in circumstances at home.
It sounds as though she is not particularly bothered by her situation, so it would not be wise to turn it into a big issue.
However, stuttering can really affect a child’s confidence and cause problems ranging from not learning as quickly as other children, to self confidence and self esteem problems.
There is a wealth of help and support available from speech therapists and other specialists who can tackle every element of your child’s problem
As well as talking to your daughter’s nursery, make an appointment to see your GP and your health visitor as they are also experts in this area and will be able to offer help, advice and referrals to other specialists.
It is entirely possible that when you get to the root of the problem, your daughter’s stuttering will stop, it is simply a matter of getting the right help, being open, honest, patient and supportive of her situation.
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