Patient Education
When should I consult a speech therapist?
You can consult a speech therapist if you are very anxious about your child's speech or if the child is really having difficulty in talking i.e. becomes breathless while talking, shows the undue amount of tension in his speech muscles, or has decreased in his speech output (ie. the child starts speaking less).
Can my child develop stammering due to imitation?
Yes, the child is in constant search of speakers and he develops his speech by imitating people in his environment. So, if there is a person who stammers around him, he may imitate him, but this is a transitory phase and the child can get over it if his attention is not drawn towards it.
Is stammering hereditary?
Yes, to a certain extent.
Is stammering due to a psychological factor?
Yes, Stammering mainly develops due to a child's feeling of insecurity. This insecurity could be due to many reasons such as:
- Parental conflict
- Very strict parents
- A new sibling
- Jealousy
- Separation from dear ones
- New environment
- Fear
Will my child start speaking fluently?
Yes, if the psychological barriers are removed and if the child is not made conscious of his speech defect, he will overcome his hesitations.
How long it will take for my child to start speaking fluently?
It all depends on you because if you follow the guidelines set-up by the therapist the child overcomes his problems very soon. Very often, the child is not even taken for therapy because of the alterations in the parents behavior towards the child, the child starts speaking fluently.
When should formal therapy begin?
If the child has not started speaking fluently even after the parents have been counseled then he should be taken up for play therapy.