A disorder of the flow or rhythm of speech, stuttering appears during early childhood and disappears in the majority of cases during adolescence. When to worry when your child suddenly stumbles over words and how to help him stop stuttering? The answers of Elisabeth Vincent, speech therapist and vice-president of the speech-stuttering association.
Stuttering affects about 1% of the population, or about 650,000 people in France. 8% of children (i.e. one girl for every three boys) stutter and this disorder which affects the speech generally appears at the time of the elaboration of the language. “Stuttering is characterized by a greater number of speech accidents than in normal speech: repetitions of syllables or sounds, blockages, disproportionate lengthening of sounds. What signs stuttering is above all the behavior of effort that accompanies the production of sounds: twitching of the face or other parts of the body, aversion of the gaze during blockages“, explains Elisabeth Vincent, Speech Therapistvice-president of the speech-stuttering association and author of several books on stuttering, including Helping your child to speak and communicate – 50 sheets against stuttering and cluttering (Ed. Deboeck).
At what age does stuttering appear?
This speech and communication disorder occurs most often between 2 and 5 years old, at the time of language development. But it can also occur until the age of 7-8 years, and more rarely in adolescence, recalls the Association Word Stuttering (APB). Early treatment is essential because stuttering can have repercussions on social and professional life in adulthood.
Stuttering appears in communicative contexts: people generally do not stutter when talking alone or to an animal
What are the causes of stuttering?
There is no identified cause for stuttering but several predisposing factors such as a genetic predisposition. “There are also neurological particularities, both structural and above all functional. There are also factors related to the child’s temperament and the impact of the environment. Speech being constructed in the relationship with the other, factors linked to the environment play an important role. This will be the main access route to effectively intervene on the disorder“, underlines the expert.
Why does stuttering stop and then come back?
The child can speak without difficulty and suddenly start to stutter during conversation or at certain times“. Stuttering often appears around the age of 3-4 years in children who until then had expressed themselves without difficulty – even with particularly elaborate speech. This is a particularly intense period in the development of the child and stuttering comes to signal that he is “overwhelmed”, that he has trouble coordinating his different areas of competence (cognitive, motor, linguistic, affective).” Once serenity is restored, stuttering may stop spontaneously, which does not mean that it has completely disappeared. For some, it will remain a symptom witnessing the crossing by the child or the adolescent of a sufficiently overwhelming period to bring him back. “Stuttering can go away on its own and come back later, often during key moments that induce changes in the child’s life: starting school, moving… Similarly, if stuttering mainly appears before the age of 7, it can fade and reappear at adolescence, a period also full of changes and stimulation“, explains Elisabeth Vincent.
What to do in case of stuttering in children?
As soon as the stuttering appears, consulting a speech therapist trained in the treatment of stuttering allows you to react appropriately to the stutters of the child. At first, it is parental support that takes precedence. On the other hand, if the child continues to stutter between six months and a year after the onset of this disorder, regular care becomes necessary, involving direct work with the child and his parents. Also, don’t wait if you notice that your child stumbles over words and suffers from it. “It is important not to wait too long to consult when a stutter appears even if it may be transient. Given the greater plasticity of the brain before the age of 6, stuttering should not be allowed to take hold so that the brain does not develop bad habits. On the other hand, the child manifests that he needs help and it is the questioning of the professional that will help to determine the nature of the support to be provided. Faced with this particularly destabilizing disorder, those around you do not know how to react and worry is not always a good advisor. The speech therapist will give the leads that will allow effective support to be put in place“, notes Elisabeth Vincent.
At what age should treatment start?
If a treatment must be undertaken, it is recommended to start it before the age of 5 years, because brain plasticity is greater and the child has a better chance of recovering. Some treatments have scientifically proven their effectiveness. It is programs based on the demand and capacity model as well as the Lidcombe program. This approach is based on daily assessment of stuttering and positive reinforcement. It consists in involving parents and children, by allowing them to determine together the sentences to be corrected, while integrating positive comments when the child pronounces a sentence correctly. The speech therapist also ensures that relapses are prevented.
Is stuttering in children permanent?
According to the speech-stuttering association, 80% of children who suffer from it overcome it spontaneously but for the remaining 20%, the disorder is likely to be long-lasting and the stuttering may persist with more or less intensity into adulthood.
What impact does stuttering have on schooling?
Stuttering is not considered a learning disability as such but it can complicate learning during schooling. A pupil who stutters focuses on controlling his speech and in fact, pays less attention to his interlocutor, which disrupts exchanges with the teaching staff but also the other pupils. He then struggles to communicate and sets in the fear of not being able to express what he intended to say. Stuttering also has an impact on self-esteem and self-confidence. of the child who can withdraw into himself and participate less in the life of the class.
Is stuttering considered a disability?
Stuttering is recognized as a disability by the MDPH (Departmental House of Disabled People). As an adult, he can give the right to an RQTH (Recognition of the status of disabled worker). Carried out in children as in adults, the speech therapy assessment as well as the speech therapy sessions are covered at 60% by social security. The 40% can be covered by the mutual.
Once stuttering has been diagnosed, sessions with a speech therapist generally make it possible to overcome it. “The less we let a child stutter, the more likely it is that the stuttering will go away, hence the importance of consulting – sometimes very few sessions are enough. We act by supporting the child in his words: by offering him the word when he blocks, by reformulating what he has just said, by asking him questions that are not too open… We also act by trying to harmonize the demands made upon it at its stage of development. This care both at the level of speech and of his living environment is very effective. The current problem is the lack of professionals, it is very difficult to get an appointment with a speech therapist. The APB (Association Parole Stuttering) has made available on its website a number of very useful documents“, emphasizes Elisabeth Vincent.