Stuttering in children

What it is, the types, and what changes with age

Stuttering in children is a speech condition in which the flow of talking is broken by repeated sounds, stretched sounds or blocks. It usually starts between the ages of 2 and 5, it is not caused by parenting, and what helps depends on your child's age.

Toddlers and preschoolers (2 to 5)
School age (6 to 12)
Teenagers (13 to 17)

Find your child's age

A smiling father outdoors in a green field, carrying his laughing toddler son on his shoulders

In plain terms

What is stuttering?

Stuttering is a disruption to the flow of speech. A child who stutters knows exactly what they want to say; the difficulty is in getting the words out smoothly.

Stuttering is also called stammering, and the two words mean the same thing. On a report you may see "developmental stuttering" or "childhood-onset fluency disorder". Both mean stuttering that began in childhood. Fast, jumbled speech that runs words together is a different thing, called cluttering.

By Age

Find The Page For Your Child's Age

Stuttering is not the same at 3 as it is at 13. Each age has its own page, with what stuttering looks like at that age, the treatment research supports and how Dr Lauren works with your child.

The Types

The Three Types Of Stuttering, As A Parent Hears Them

The symptoms of stuttering fall into three different types: repetitions, prolongations and blocks. A child may have one type or all three, and the mix can change over time. The examples below are how each one sounds at home.

Repetitions

In a repetition, a sound, a syllable or a short word is said again and again before the sentence moves on: “b-b-b-ball”, “mu-mu-mummy”, “I, I, I want it”.
Prolongations

In a prolongation, one sound is stretched: “sssssometimes”, “mmmmmine”. The word is not repeated; it is held.
Blocks

In a block, sometimes called speech blocking, your child's mouth is in position to speak but no sound comes out for a moment. Then the word arrives, often with a push. A block can look as if your child has frozen mid-word.
Tension and extra movements

Some children who stutter also show effort while a word is on its way: blinking, a tight jaw, a nod of the head. Stuttering ranges from mild to severe, and it comes and goes, changing from day to day and from one situation to the next.

When stuttering starts, and who it affects

Stuttering usually begins between the ages of 2 and 5, most often as a child starts joining words into short sentences. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association reports that about 95% of children who stutter start before the age of 4.

The start can be gradual or sudden. The Australian Stuttering Research Centre notes that in a few cases stuttering begins so suddenly and severely that parents think their child is ill.

Stuttering in kids under 5 is common. In an Australian study that followed children from infancy, 8% had begun to stutter by age 3 and 12% by age 4, the Australian Stuttering Research Centre reports. Across all ages, about 1 in 100 Australians stutter, according to Healthdirect. In early childhood it is more common in boys.

Many children stop stuttering without treatment, but nobody can tell in advance which children will. The guide on when to worry about stuttering, and whether it will go away covers that question in full.

Stuttering by age: what changes from 2 to 17

The treatment with the best evidence for stuttering, and how the speech pathologist works with your child, both change as a child grows. This table sets the three age bands side by side.

What changes	Toddlers and preschoolers (2 to 5)	School age (6 to 12)	Teenagers (13 to 17)
Typical picture	Stuttering often starts as words are joined into sentences. It can begin gradually or suddenly, and it comes and goes.	Stuttering has usually been present for years. Talking in class, reading aloud and teasing begin to matter.	A long-standing pattern. Some teenagers avoid words or speaking situations, and anxiety about speaking is common.
Wait or act	Have it assessed. The Australian Stuttering Research Centre recommends therapy for all children who begin stuttering before school.	Act now. Stuttering can become harder to treat as children get older.	Act with your teenager's agreement. Therapy is done with them, so what they want from it shapes the plan.
Treatment with the best evidence	The Lidcombe Program has the strongest research evidence. RESTART-DCM and syllable-timed speech are also supported by randomised trials.	Thinner evidence. The preschool treatments are adapted, or treatments designed for teenagers are used.	Speech restructuring, as taught in the Camperdown Program, for teenagers who want control over stuttering.
The speech pathologist's role	Leads the treatment: measures the stuttering, sets the goals, runs regular sessions with parent and child, and shows the parent a short daily practice, which she checks each week.	Works with the child directly in sessions, sets the plan and adjusts it, and guides the short practice at home.	Works with the teenager directly, and sets and adjusts the plan with them.
The parent's part	A short practice each day and one rating, done the way the speech pathologist has shown them.	Helps with short practice at home and talks with the teacher.	Support and encouragement.
The child's role	Plays and talks. A young child is not told to change how they speak.	Knows what the practice is for and takes part in it.	Does the therapy, and the practice between sessions, themselves.

Dr Lauren uses the Lidcombe Program. Which treatment suits a school-aged child or a teenager is decided after a stuttering assessment.

Where the evidence is strong, and where it thins

Research on stuttering treatment is strongest for children under 6. The Australian Stuttering Research Centre lists three approaches for this age that are supported by randomised clinical trials, and says the strongest evidence is for the Lidcombe Program.

For school-aged children the evidence is thinner. The same centre says the preschool approaches may be adapted for older children, or treatments designed for teenagers used. That is a reason to act early. It is not a reason to give up on an older child.

For teenagers, speech restructuring has the best evidence for those who want more control over their stuttering, and cognitive behaviour therapy with a psychologist is the treatment of choice for social anxiety. A speech pathologist treats the stuttering; a psychologist treats the anxiety. The guide to stuttering treatments compared sets out each program by age and evidence.

What causes stuttering in children?

Stuttering is not caused by parenting, nervousness or stress. The Australian Stuttering Research Centre describes it as a condition that involves genetics and the way the brain processes speech production, which is why it often runs in families. Tiredness, stress and anxiety can make stuttering worse on a given day, but they do not cause it. The guide on what causes stuttering goes through the research and the myths.

When should a parent worry about stuttering?

You do not need to wait for stuttering to get worse before asking about it. If what you hear matches the signs above, a stuttering assessment is reasonable at any age. There is treatment for stuttering at every age, and it is simplest in the years before school. No treatment comes with a promise, but waiting does not make stuttering easier to treat. The guide on when to worry about stuttering sets out how to tell stuttering from the ordinary stumbles of learning to talk, and what is known about children who stop without treatment. Other questions, from school to the words on a report, are answered in the guides for parents.

Dr Lauren Crumlish smiling in front of hexagonal shelves with toys and decor; wearing a sleeveless polka dot blouse.

Your Clinician

Dr Lauren Crumlish, Certified Practising Speech Pathologist

Dr Lauren Crumlish is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with a PhD from The University of Queensland. She treats stuttering in children and teenagers and uses the Lidcombe Program. Dr Lauren is a speech pathologist, not a medical doctor. She works with a small number of families and has limited availability. Read more about Dr Lauren and her published research.

PhD in Speech Pathology, The University of Queensland (UQ)
2024 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses
Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP)

About Dr Lauren

A mother kneeling on a bed at home, smiling as she talks face to face with her young son

Questions Parents Ask

Questions About Stuttering In Children

What are the 3 types of stuttering?

The three types of stuttering are repetitions (a sound, syllable or word said again and again), prolongations (a sound stretched out) and blocks (a moment where no sound comes out). A child who stutters may show one type or all three.

At what age does stuttering start?

Stuttering usually starts between the ages of 2 and 5, often as a child begins joining words into short sentences. About 95% of children who stutter start before the age of 4, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Is stuttering the same as stammering?

Yes. Stuttering and stammering are two words for the same speech condition. Australian hospitals, researchers and speech pathologists mostly say stuttering.

What is developmental stuttering?

Developmental stuttering is stuttering that begins in early childhood, while speech and language are developing. It is by far the most common kind of stuttering, and it is what this page describes.

Is stuttering a sign of anxiety or low intelligence?

No. Stuttering is not caused by anxiety, low intelligence or parenting style, the Sydney Children's Hospitals Network says. Anxiety can follow stuttering, especially in older children and teenagers, and it can make stuttering worse on the day.

Can stuttering be cured?

Speech pathologists do not talk about a cure for stuttering, and nobody can promise a result. Treatment has its strongest evidence before the age of 6. Older children and teenagers can learn to reduce stuttering and to manage it.

Who treats stuttering in children?

A speech pathologist assesses and treats stuttering in children. On this site that is Dr Lauren Crumlish (PhD), a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist who works with children and teenagers by video, Australia wide.

How much does stuttering therapy cost?

Sessions are $193. The first step is an initial assessment, from $590. Medicare rebates are available with a doctor's referral. The practice is not NDIS registered: self-managed and plan-managed participants are welcome; NDIA-managed funding cannot be used.