Stammering refers to a problem resulting from a disruption in the flow and timing of speech.
This disruption can take a number of different forms and include:
- Repetition – a particular part of speech may be repeated a number of times.
- Prolongation – sounds may be lengthened.
- Hesitation – may be pauses in the child’s speech.
- Freezing – as if the child’s speech muscles become frozen in time.
- Fillers – extra words may be added which do not contribute to the meaning.
- Forcing – a child may be heard to push some sounds out forcefully.
- Incompletion – words or sentences may be left unfinished.
- Airflow problems – breathing may be disrupted.
- Gestures – extra facial or body movements become associated with talking.
- Eye contact – child may be unable to look at his listener.
The different terms used:
The Americans refer to the same mode of speech as 'stuttering'. The term is sometimes used in Britain, but usually ‘stammering’ is the accepted label.
Speech and language therapists talk about stammering in terms of a loss of the fluency of speech.
This is different from the popular sense of the word “fluency”, in which language Is perceived as a continuous stream of interesting words spoken with apparent ease and speed.
Speech and language therapists may use the word non-fluency or dysfluency to describe stammering.
Developmental non-fluency/dysfluency refers to the type of disrupted speech many children use when they are developing their communication skills. This mainly happens between the ages of 2 and 7 and generally lasts less than a year.
Hidden stammering
This is not so easy to identify and relates the thoughts and feelings a child may have regarding speaking.
Hidden stammering may include:
- Speech avoidance – Where the child avoids saying a sound or word which he thinks is difficult to say.
He may substitute words or even opt out of talking.
It is better, he may feel, to be thought of as less intelligent, less sociable than for others to think he is a stammerer.
- Situation avoidance - Where the child perceives that his speech in certain contexts is not as good as in others.
So he avoids placing himself in those situations.
For example, he may come in late for school regularly so he can avoid answering the register.
Diagnosis pathway
Parents or professionals who are concerned about a child’s fluency should refer to the local speech and language therapy department. A full assessment will be carried out, resulting in:
- Advice – leaflets may also be obtained from the British Stammering Association- BSA (see link below) .
- Therapy – which may include the Lidcombe programme – or Parent Child Interaction therapy
or
- For older children, group therapy – usually during school holidays.