When to Seek Help for

If your child is 5 years old and still stuttering, talk to your doctor and, possibly, a speech-language therapist. You also may want to consult a speech therapist if:

• repetitions of whole words and phrases become excessive
• sound and syllable repetitions start happening more often
• there is an increase in the prolongations of words
• speech starts to be especially difficult or strained
• you notice increased facial tension or tightness in the speech muscles
• you notice vocal tension resulting in rising pitch or loudness
• your child tries to avoid situations that require talking
• your child changes a word for fear of stuttering
• your child has facial or body movements along with the stuttering
• you have other concerns about your child's speech

Most schools will offer testing and appropriate therapy if you have been concerned about the stuttering for 6 months or more