I think my child is stuttering. What should I do?
Written by Courtney Reddacliff - Speech PathologistPublished 03/06/2025What is stuttering?
Stuttering is an interruption to the normal flow of speech. This can look and sound like:
Repeating sounds and/or words e.g. “d-d-d-addy's car”, “we-we-we-played outside”
Prolonging sounds e.g. “mmmmmmm-my dolly”
Tension in the face or body when speaking
Getting ‘stuck’, where nothing comes out when attempting to speak (known as a fixed posture/block)
Stuttering is common – around 1-2% of people worldwide stutter.
What causes stuttering?
Unfortunately, there are still a lot of unknowns when it comes to the cause of stuttering. Despite a significant amount of research in this area, we still do not have a clear understanding of the precise cause of stuttering. What we do know, is that stuttering:
is a physical condition (NOT a psychological condition)
is NOT caused by anxiety, however anxiety may make pre-existing stuttering worse
involves differences in brain activity (neural processing)
runs in families, indicating that genetic inheritance is involved.
See the links below for more information on stuttering research:
https://www.uts.edu.au/research/centres/australian-stuttering-research-centre
https://www.geneticsofstutteringstudy.org.au/latest-research-summaries
When does stuttering start?
Stuttering typically begins when children start to put words together to form short phrases, usually around 2-4 years of age. Sometimes it develops quite gradually, other times it is a sudden onset with severe stuttering that begins seemingly ‘out of nowhere’. This can be quite confronting.
Stuttering can vary in severity:
Mild stuttering: may cause minimal interference to a persons’ communication.
More severe stuttering: may cause very frequent interruptions to a person’s speech, making it difficult for them to get their message across with speech alone.
People who stutter might experience fluctuations in stuttering severity. For example, a person might have a mild stutter when talking to a friend, but more severe stuttering when meeting a group of new people. Common factors known to impact on stuttering severity include fatigue, anxiety and the social context.
What are the impacts of stuttering?
The impacts of stuttering vary from person to person and can also be different depending on the person’s age. Some people who have been stuttering for a long time may accept it as a part of who they are. They may not be particularly bothered by stuttering when they speak. Others may feel frustrated or embarrassed by stuttering and may experience social anxiety as a result. All experiences are unique to the individual person and all experiences are valid.
Some of the reported impacts of stuttering include:
speaking less than others
feelings of frustration
avoidance of certain words
restricted grammar
reduced quality of life
social isolation
social anxiety
avoidance of certain situations
reduced academic outcomes
occupational accomplishments
negative stereotypes
Are interventions for stuttering available? Do they work?
Yes. Effective, evidence-based interventions for stuttering are available. Timing is a very important factor when it comes to stuttering intervention. Evidence suggests that treatment before 6 years of age is most effective. For some children who receive intervention before 6 years of age, stuttering will go away and will not return.
Stuttering becomes more challenging to treat in older children (primary school age) and adults. However, intervention options are still available and can lead to significant reductions in stuttering, effective control over stuttering or strategies for improving comfortability and acceptance of stuttering.
For more information about evidence-based treatment options that are suitable for your child, speak to a Speech Pathologist.
You can find a Speech Pathologist through Speech Pathology Australia’s ‘Find a Speech Pathologist’ search function: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/Public/Shared_Content/Smart-Suite/Smart-Maps/Public/Find-a-Speech-Pathologist.aspx
Use the advanced search feature to find a Speech Pathologist who has experience with Stuttering/Fluency.
You can also contact us at Understood Speech Pathology, here: https://www.understoodspeechpathology.com.au/contact
Will stuttering go away by itself?
Natural recovery from stuttering does occur – that is, for some young children stuttering will go away by itself, without any therapy. This is estimated to occur in around two-thirds of children who develop stuttering. However, unfortunately at this stage we cannot yet reliably predict if this will or will not occur.
As stuttering becomes increasingly difficult to treat with increased age and can have significant impacts on quality of life and mental health, it is recommended that young children receive immediate treatment for stuttering, rather than waiting to see if it will go away naturally.
Does stuttering need to be “treated”?
This is a personal decision. This decision should be made with careful consideration of the information we know about stuttering, including potential impacts, treatment options and timing of treatment as well as information about the individual person including their response to stuttering and desire for/appropriateness for therapy. A Speech Pathologist can help you to make an informed decision.
Where can I find more information?
https://www.uts.edu.au/research/centres/australian-stuttering-research-centre
https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/wnswlhd/services/speech-pathology/stuttering
Stuttering support groups:
https://www.sayaustralia.org.au/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/smoothspeechtm/
References
Genetics of Stuttering Study. (2024a, February 7). About stuttering - The Genetics of Stuttering study. The Genetics of Stuttering Study. https://www.geneticsofstutteringstudy.org.au/about-stuttering/
Genetics of Stuttering Study. (2024b, May 13). About the study - the Genetics of Stuttering study. The Genetics of Stuttering Study. https://www.geneticsofstutteringstudy.org.au/about/
Onslow, M. (2025, January). Stuttering and its clinical management: Twelve lectures. Retrieved from https://www.uts.edu.au/asrc/resources
University of Technology Sydney. (n.d.). What is stuttering? | University of Technology Sydney. https://www.uts.edu.au/research/centres/australian-stuttering-research-centre/information-about-stuttering
Western NSW Local Health District. (2024, March 27). Stuttering - Western NSW LHD Speech Pathology. NSW Government. https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/wnswlhd/services/speech-pathology/stuttering
I strive to provide accurate, evidence-based information that is accessible. I regularly review my content to provide updates as information grows and changes over time. If you think something is missing, needs updating or you have a question, please comment below!
