Stuttering in Children and Toddlers

Stuttering in Children and Toddlers

by Gordy Rogers, M.S. CCC-SLP Language Development Speech Therapy for Kids

I get this question very often in my private practice. Many parents have observed in their young children (birth to age 5) a difficulty in forming fully fluent sentences. The task of forming coherent, perfectly articulated, and fluent language is a tall task and one that can take the whole of childhood to master. So, in many cases, stuttering in children or a disruption in their fluent speech is perfectly normal and not something that would require the attention of a speech therapist. Because stuttering is by far the most common type of speech dysfluency, I will focus today’s post on stuttering. However, there are several factors that parents should consider when faced with speech dysfluencies. These factors can very quickly give you, the parent, an indication of whether you would need to consult with a local speech therapist.

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From Stutter to Superstar: Megan Washington’s Story

From Stutter to Superstar: Megan Washington’s Story

by Courtenay M. News
Megan Washington

Award-winning singer/songwriter Megan Washington suffers from a stutter. Image Courtesy of ABC.

A multi-platinum singer, two-time ARIA Award winner, and guest judge on The Voice, do you know Megan Washington? As one of Australia’s most famous singer/songwriters, “Washington” as she’s called, is setting stages on fire all across the world. But, did you know that Megan Washington has suffered from a debilitating stutter since she was five years old?  If you have not seen her TEDx presentation, you may have never heard Megan Washington stutter, nor guessed that public speaking was her greatest fear. Her experience, as with many, was that singing therapy for stuttering brought “sweet relief” from her speech impediment. It was the only time she felt her speech was fluent. Washington’s story recently became headline news as she revealed her long-time secret at a TEDx conference in Sydney earlier this year.

“To me, language and music are inextricably linked through one thing. And that thing is I have a stutter.”

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10 Simple Steps for Smooth Speech

10 Simple Steps for Smooth Speech

by Courtenay M. Parents' Corner Speech Errors Speech Therapy Techniques
10 Tips for Smooth Speech

10 Simple Steps for Smooth Speech Image source: Screenrant.com

“Smooth Speech” is also referred to as Fluency, but what exactly does that mean? It’s a term used in Speech Pathology that means smoothness or flow in which sounds, syllables, words and phrases are joined together. While there are many types of fluency — including language fluency, reading fluency, or fluency in reference to speaking a foreign language — speech fluency refers to the ability to speak smoothly and easily.

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10 Warning Signs of a Speech Disorder In Your Child

10 Warning Signs of a Speech Disorder In Your Child

by Courtenay M. Language Development
Speech Disorder in Children

10 Warning Signs of Speech Disorder in Your Child. What You Need to Know.

Would you be able to identify a speech disorder in your child?  If you are like most parents, the answer is No. As we delve into Better Hearing and Speech Month, we would like to point out 10 warning signs of speech speech disorder in your child. Of course, symptoms can vary depending on the specific speech condition of your child, but there are some essential signs that every parent should watch for as their children grow and develop.
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Speech Impediment in Children: What Is Cluttering?

Speech Impediment in Children: What Is Cluttering?

by Courtenay M. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Winston Churchill

Did Winston Churchill Suffer From Cluttering or Stuttering? (See Answer Below!)

What is cluttering, and how is this different than stuttering? We’ve heard that question many times from readers, so we thought we’d take a moment to explain the speech disorder called cluttering in more detail. Cluttering is a speech and communication disorder that affects a person’s ability to convey speech in a clear and concise manner. It is often characterized by an abnormally rapid rate of speech, difficulty organizing thoughts or getting to the point and words that sound like they are “running into each other.”

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