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Stuttering therapy for young children

What is childhood stuttering?

Do you hear repetitions, prolongations, or blocks (silent stoppages) in your child’s speech? Most developmental stuttering begins at the preschool age (age 2-5). It is very common for kids at this age to begin stuttering. Most kids who start stuttering will outgrow it naturally. However, certain children are at high risk for persistence of stuttering, and early intervention is strongly recommended for these families. Even if your child is not at high risk for persistence, but they are struggling through a stuttering phase, speech therapy can help reduce stress and increase communcation ease for both the child and parent. 

When children between the ages of 2 and 6 years have been stuttering for longer than 6 months, it may be time to consult a qualified speech-language pathologist for strategies and recommendations. At speech IRL, our approach to early stuttering involves a multi-tiered system of treatment. We offer clinical support in a wide variety of formats: everything from a single phone call to learn basic parent support principles, to regular in-home speech therapy with one of our specialists.

We individualize our services to best support the specific needs of your child and family, using a variety of evidence-based practices, including coaching, training, and direct intervention. 

 

Tier 1: Parent Coaching   


Do you have questions about stuttering? Do you want guidance regarding treatment options? Are you overwhelmed with all the information you’ve heard? We offer consultation-style coaching for parents who are interested in learning more about stuttering and are looking to help support their child as they choose the next step. Maybe therapy is not a good fit for your family right now, or you are unsure whether your child is stuttering. Parent coaching consists of consultative 60-minute meetings with the therapist and parent (the child is not directly involved). Coaching sessions feature discussion and learning about stuttering, strategies and treatments that are available, and open question and answer exploration. This is a great opportunity problem-solve with one of our stuttering experts over the phone, via video call, at our office, or in your home.

Parent coaching is available whether or not you are enrolled in active therapy at speech IRL. If your child is already enrolled in speech therapy but you would like a second opinion or simply the opportunity for a lengthy sit-down with a specialist, we are happy to listen, support, and complement other services your family may be receiving.              


Tier 2: Parent Training


This medium-level intervention aims to help you become an expert in helping your child. In this model, our clinical specialists train you in specific strategies and techniques to support your child’s communication. These at-home supports are selected and tailored specifically for your child's individual needs and stuttering presentation. While Tier 1 parent coaching centers around infrequent, as-needed, high-level discussions around stuttering, this Tier 2 training involves consistent parent-clinician meetings, weekly communication homework, and tracking specific speech and stuttering changes. However, this is still considered indirect treatment, as the child does not physically attend therapy and modifications are being managed by the parent.


Tier 3: Direct Treatment


This is the most hands-on and focused style of treatment. This is the most common form of speech therapy, where both parent and child attend regular speech therapy sessions. One of our specialists works directly with your child, with the parent present.

Parent involvement is still crucial in this model. Direct treatment incorporates all the parent training of Tier 2, with a parent-led homework program to support progress in between speech therapy visits.

Preschool stuttering at speech IRL

 FAQ about our family services

Is it too early to start therapy? And more

Common questions and answers

Do you take insurance? What are the costs?

Learn about payment options

Organizational training to upskill your workforce

Organizational training to upskill your workforce


Not sure what you need?


We are happy to help figure it out! We offer free initial consultations, where we can talk about options and for you and your child. Consultations can be completed over the phone or in-person at our office. 


Looking for support?


We also offer ways to connect with other parents with group meetings, on social media, and via group chat. Ask one of our therapists for more information.

Looking for stuttering therapy for teens and adults?

Learn more about stuttering therapy