If your answer is yes, then she might just have a speech disorder.
You might think that your child will outgrow her stuttering problem. But the sooner you treat her speech problem, the easier it will be to treat it.
She gets stuck at a certain syllable while trying to pronounce a word. For instance, p…p…p…pen.
He mispronounces words, usually because of one or more alphabets. Such as, pronouncing L as D and D as L.
She struggles and has a pained expression when talking.
It is normal for toddlers to stammer a little initially.
Kids Can Be Cruel
A speech problem could be extremely taxing on a child. He could be teased and taunted by friends or pitied upon by relatives.
Very often children with speech disorders feel left out and self-conscious. This might make them introverted.
Your baby might also feel nervous at social functions and begin to stutter.
What's the Matter?
The reasons for her speech disorder might be hereditary or a physical problem. If someone around you has a speech problem, it is also possible that your child stammers just to imitate the person.
- Central nervous system
- Auditory system (any hearing deficiencies will prevent speech to develop)
- Larynx or voice box
- Tongue, jaws and upper palate of the mouth
Kids usually say their first words around their first birthday. But this might be delayed if they don't get the suitable environment.
If your child doesn't start talking around the age of four-five years, visit a speech therapist. Make sure you create a stimulating environment for her. Talk to her so that she can understand where to say what. This will help her start talking.
Always remember…
…lots of love and encouragement will help your child kick the stammering habit.
- Spend time with her. Play, laugh and sing with her. Ask her to help you out with daily chores. She should never feel alone or unloved.
- At home, ask her to speak slowly. Encourage her to pronounce every word. If she gets stuck on a word, calmly ask her to repeat the same word again. Also, ask your family members to speak slowly at home.
- Make a list of 'problem words' and ask her to pronounce them everyday at least 20 times. At first, make a list of 10 words. Then as she progresses, increase the number of words she needs to practice.
- If she is successful in repeating a word fluently, reward her efforts. You could make a soft board for her and stick a shiny star sticker. Or give her chocolates.
- Help her develop a reading habit. Read aloud with her.
- Don't make her feel conscious about the fact that she cannot speak fluently. Never introduce her to guests and be apologetic about her defect.
If you don't find any improvement, take your child to a speech therapist. It is best to get her treated when she is young.
As she grows older, she might feel more conscious and it will be difficult to follow the instructions of the speech therapist.
(With inputs from Dr. M. Jayaram, Professor, Speech Disorders and Bio-medical Instrumentation, NIMHANS, Bangalore)
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