FAQs

Stammering is caused by very small, subtle differences in the “speech wiring” of our brain. It is common for stammering to run in families so there may be other family members who stammer/ have stammered. It is absolutely not caused by parents/carers, by copying it or learning it from others who stammer, by learning and using multiple languages, or because of a personality type, i.e., they stammer because they are “shy” or “nervous”.

There are many things which can cause a person to stammer more or to find talking harder, but the root cause is a neurological speech difference.

Stammering is naturally variable from moment to moment.

You may hear your child stammering a lot for a period of time, followed by a period of very little or no stammering. Sometimes you may be able to identify a reason why there may be more or less stammering. Sometimes you may not be able to identify a reason.

Common reasons for hearing more stammering may include tiredness, nerves, pressure, excitement, and big changes.

The important thing is to provide a stammering friendly environment for your child so they can speak freely, ask for support when needed and know how to take good care of themselves.

It is also important to educate others about stammering. Do not let anybody accuse you or your child of “faking” a stammer based on how often they speak with a stammer. Explain that it is natural and common for there to be periods of talking with and without a stammer.

About 8% (or 1 in 12) children will stammer at some point in their language development, often between ages 2-5, although some children may start later. Many of these children will go on to stop stammering.

However, some children will continue stammering into adulthood. There is no definite way of knowing who will stop stammering and who will carry on stammering. Generally speaking, the longer a stammer has continued, the more likely it is that it will continue into adulthood.

Many adults who stammer lead successful and happy lives!

1. Avoid asking children to slow down, start again, think about what they want to say, or take a deep breath. Whilst very well meant, this advice can add to the frustration of talking. People who stammer know what they would like to say, it is very hard to slow our speech down, and starting again just adds to the pressure of talking.

2. Wait. Allow children the time and space they need to finish talking. Show them that they have your attention by keeping natural eye contact, smiling, bending down, nodding etc. Focus on WHAT they have said and not HOW they have said it.

3. Be open about stammering. You do not need to ignore it. This often creates a tension and anxiety around stammering. Let them know it is called a stammer and it can sometimes make our words feel stuck, reassure them that this happens to other children and adults too so they do not feel alone. Take a look at the Stamma website (the national charity for stammering) for helpful resources including stories and videos you can look at with your child.

It is important to understand that there is no “cure” for stammering and a responsible therapist/ therapy programme should never claim to provide a “cure” or “fix”.

It is true that some therapists and programmes teach strategies which can be used to sound more fluent (to talk without stammering) and some people may choose to use these strategies for specific occasions.

However, many children and adults who stammer say that these strategies aren’t sustainable (i.e., they may not work all the time and in all situations) and don’t always feel the most natural or authentic way of talking. For this reason, many people who stammer say they prefer to speak with their natural voice and this feels more authentic to them and good for their mental health.

Stammer in the Woods sessions do not ever include teaching strategies to hide or suppress a stammer. Instead, I focus on supporting children’s wellbeing and confident communication. When we focus on these areas, talking often becomes easier and more enjoyable and we hear confident and happy talkers, regardless of a stammer being present. We can do this by:

• learning about stammering together

• ensuring everybody feels confident to support children who stammer

• building stammering friendly environments

• building self-advocacy, resilience, emotional regulation, and self-care skills

• raising awareness and acceptance of stammering

• feeling less alone by playing with and talking to other children who stammer