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Is Normal Developmental Disfluency the same as  stuttering?

No, it’s not stuttering although Normal Developmental Disfluency is oftentimes mistaken to be stuttering. Children demonstrate this disorder when they often repeat syllables when pronouncing words. Children prolong syllables, and display other symptoms common to stuttering. Children from ages 1 to 6 years old may have been observed to have this condition, but the peak of the condition is considered to be 2-4 years of age.

For parents, this kind of condition may be alarming but this is just a normal part of development. there is nothing to worry about. A child get over this stage as he begins to develop his speaking skills. All that is needed is proper environment and interaction with the child. Do not pressure a child about his speech, or else there is a higher possibility that his disfluency would grow into a problem in the future and maybe lead to stuttering.

Management For Normal Developmental Disfluency

Normal Developmental Disfluency occurs during a child’s critical period of speech and language development. When do you, parents know that your child has this disorder? Observe and listen how your speaks? If the child’s over-all speech is 5% or less repetitions and 1% or less are prolongations, then he may have this condition.

No matter how normal this condition is, it’s good to know that the causes of this condition could be  excitement while speaking, demands  or pressure of language acquisition, lagging  speech-motor control , environmental factors like stress in the family such as separation of parents and the situations they are in, and daily pressures of competition.

Children with this disfluency condition are often treated or undergo therapy. Parents are still worried and so seek the help of professionals or specialists. The children are  taught how to decrease the rate of their speech, relieve other pressures in the environment, and simplify their language.