It’s not unusual for young children to go through a phase during which their speech sounds bumpy or dysfluent. You may notice your child repeating words, pausing in the middle of an utterance, or using frequent filler words such as “um”. These are known as typical disfluencies, and for many young children, they’re a normal part of learning how to talk.

When disfluencies become frequent, include signs of tension, or begin to affect your child’s confidence or willingness to speak, this may be a sign of a fluency disorder, such as stuttering or cluttering.

We know how important it is for caregivers to feel confident in supporting their child’s speech development. We’ve created a handout for caregivers and families that covers:

• What speech fluency is
  
• The difference between typical disfluencies and fluency disorders
  
• Signs to watch for in young children
  
• Research-supported strategies families can use at home
  

This resource is for caregivers and families of children of all ages who are curious, concerned, or want to support healthy communication. Download via the button below!

If you have questions or would like to schedule a consultation please reach out to our team to speak with a Speech-Language Pathologist.