3 Year Old Stuttering

Like others have said, it can be a normal stage for kids as they are developing their language faster at this age. No harm in getting a professional opinion though. My friend whose daughter has the same issue went to a speech therapist and was told that most likely they will grow out of it, that unless they notice it's a problem, then don't worry. The speech therapist said never to tell them to slow down or draw attention to it--then they just realize that they are doing something "wrong" and it can become a big problem psychologically for them. The speech therapist said that most of the time around 5 it will stop. Don't worry too much, but you can always consult with a speech therapist to ease your mind!!!

His brain is just going faster than his mouth can keep up. Try telling him to slow down, think, and then speak. If that doesn't help, you may want to consider a speech therapist, but to me it sounds like he just needs to slow down.

My daughter and my friends daughter did the same thing. My question to you is does your son watch D D D D D Dora? I know it sounds crazy, but my friend and I are convinced that was why our daughters were doing it. We were talking about it one day and decided to stop letting them watch that show and a few days later, it stopped. I hope it's as easy to stop your son from stuttering. God Bless!

My daughter does that all the time. Mostly, it's because she gets distracted in the middle of whatever she's saying. I've watched her in the rear view mirror at a stoplight asking me a question and then something out the window will catch her eye. It's like she's a skipping record. "Mom, when we get get get get get..."

I usually just say, "Baby, stop. Think about what you want to say and then say it."

A minute will pass. Then she'll say, "When we get home we can have coco milk, right?"

Sometimes she'll be looking right at me and then just glaze over, repeating the last word she said, like it was a place holder for her thought while she was test driving another. It's like you can almost hear her brain yelling, "OH BUT WHAT ABOUT THIS!!! THIS IS COOL TOO!!! TALK ABOUT THIS INSTEAD!!"

My daughter started doing that when she was three and it lasted until about 4 years old. I took her to the doctor and the doctor told me that it was perfectly fine. That at this age kids become so excited with what they want to say that they are thinking faster than they can say it. Causing them to stutter and have a hard time getting it out. My daughter did grow out of it and it a perfectly normal 5 year old that does not have a stutter problem. Now my second daughter who is bout 3.5 years of age has begun stuttering. But the doctor did tell us to help her by saying slow down and think about wht you are going to say and say it. We had to remind her to slow down when speaking. Good luck!

My four year old still does this occasionally. I asked the doctor about it and it's not considered stuttering. He said stuttering is when they're struggling to say the word as if they can't get it out. Repeating the word or phrase is more of a "filler" so his brain sorts out what he's saying. It's like he can't figure out exactly what he wants to say so he keeps repeating the last thing he said to fill the space until his brain sorts it out. This is totally normal. I usually just tell my son to "just say it" and then he breathes and says it with no problem. I have two boys and I think they're just to busy to focus on what they're trying to say. ha!

I have this same problem with my 4 year old, it started when he was about 2 1/2 - 3. He still does it from time to time if he gets too excited or he thinks you're just going to leave in the middle of him talking. (I have to do this sometimes because my 6m old will need me or my 2 1/2y.o. will fall and need me lol) I just tell him "Cameron. Slow down. Think about what you're saying." and he'll stop talking, think for a few seconds, and then tell me without any stuttering. It should fix itself (I'm noticing it alot less in my 4y.o. now then when it started), but if it doesn't and it seems like a problem I would talk to the doc about it.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

My daughter did the same thing at the same time. It started very suddenly, went away, and then started again. Each time it went away gradually. We sought help but none was needed. If you are concerned you should have your son evaluated but my guess is that you will hear the same thing we did. My now 5 year old is extremely verbal and does not stutter at all now.

good luck
K.

My next door neighbor is a children's speech therapist. Her 3 yr. old son stutters. Perfectly normal. They're not only thinking about what to say, but how to say it, and how to say it fast enough to keep our attention. They are just so excited! It should correct itself.

Check the archives of this web-site on this topic, ther is a lot out there already on toddlers/preschool age children stuttering. It is normal for children his age and will pass. Just encourage him to slow down his words and you and other family members do the same with him. ALso dont try to finish his words or sentences for him when it happens, just remind him to slow his words down. My daughter and 2 friends kids did the same thing at 2-1/2 to 3 1/2. Good Luck Mom

They usually grow out of it and it shouldn't the preschool should be able to accommodate as well. Try posting your question to Dr. Pruett at the link below:
http://blogs.goddardsystems.com/?s=talk

Yes, my son, now 3,5, did the same exact thing-especially at the beginning of sentences. It would come and go, and be aggravated by tiredness. From what I've read, it's normal-sometimes their language skills can't keep up with their active little minds. Say nothing, most likely, it will pass. My son hasn't done it for a very long time now. But I've read it's common, moreso amongst boys, is not considered true stuttering, and usually always passes. They also say not to mention it , or say slow down.

It's exactly what you said. Excitement and brain working faster than his mouth. My son was the same. Asked the pedi he said same thing. Our kids brains are going so fast with all the new info it gets the kids can't always keep up. I think it lasted on and off for a year and poof it was gone.

Normal, normal, normal. I worried about this when my child was the same age. It's a processing thing. They are just needing a moment to think through what they are trying to say and repeating words to fill the space while processing information. From what I understand, the stuttering that may need therapy is when a syllable is being repeating. For ex: I w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-want to go to the p-p-p-p-park.

I had a few children in my preschool go through this phase. As fast as it came was as fast as it went. It is my experience to ignore it, just be patient when he speaks, don't tell him to slow down, and it will stop. It is exactly what you said his brain is working so fast he just can't get all the words out. Very common in children. Tell family members to not make and issue of it and I am sure it will stop just as it did in the past. Good luck!! I know your worried but he will be fine!!