Stammering support, early and honest.
Stammering (stuttering) in children responds best to early, informed support. We help you tell the difference between a typical phase and something that benefits from therapy.
What stammering is
Stammering affects the flow of speech , repeated sounds or syllables ("b b ball"), stretched out sounds ("ssssnake"), or moments where speech seems to get stuck altogether. It usually starts between 2 and 5, often around the time sentences are getting longer and more complex.
Why early support matters more than "wait and see"
There's a genuine window in early childhood where therapy has the strongest chance of significantly reducing or resolving stammering. Waiting to see whether a child grows out of it isn't wrong for every child, but it carries a real cost if the stammer turns out to be one that persists , which is why we recommend an assessment rather than guessing at home.
When to seek an assessment
- Stammering has lasted more than six months
- Repetitions, prolongations or blocks — not just whole-word or phrase repetition
- Visible tension, struggle, or facial movement while trying to speak
- Your child shows awareness of, or frustration with, their stammer
- A family history of stammering
- Stammering appears to be increasing rather than settling
If you recognise some of these signs, it may be helpful to discuss your child's communication with a qualified speech and language therapist. An initial discussion can help you understand whether further assessment or support would be appropriate.
How we support children who stammer
Early intervention
Evidence-based approaches for preschool and young school-age children.
Confidence-building
For children whose stammer is more established, building effective communication alongside it.
Parent coaching
Practical, research-backed guidance on how to respond at home.
School support
Guidance for teachers so your child isn't put on the spot unnecessarily.
Questions parents ask
Is it normal for young children to go through a stammering phase?+
Yes — many children between 2 and 5 go through a period of normal disfluency (repeating whole words, pausing) as language develops quickly. This is different from a true stammer, which tends to involve sound or syllable repetitions, prolongations, or blocks, and often persists or worsens.
Should we wait to see if our child grows out of it?+
Some children do outgrow early disfluency without support. But because it's genuinely hard to predict which children will and won't, current best practice favours an early assessment rather than a long wait-and-see period — especially if stammering has lasted more than six months, is worsening, or is affecting your child emotionally.
Can stammering be 'cured'?+
For many children, especially with early intervention, stammering resolves or reduces substantially. For others, it becomes a longer-term part of how they speak — and therapy then shifts toward building confident, effective communication alongside the stammer, not just eliminating it.
Does correcting or asking a child to 'slow down' help?+
Generally, no — well-meaning advice like 'slow down' or 'take a breath' can increase self-consciousness and pressure. We coach parents on responses that actually help, which usually means less commentary on the stammer itself, not more.