Stuttering & fluency
My child gets stuck on words, and I never know what to say.
How a child feels about talking matters as much as how the talking sounds—and that is where support does its best work.
You may be noticing
Does any of this sound familiar?
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Sounds or syllables repeated at the start of words
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Words stretched out, or a stuck silence before a word finally arrives
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Visible effort: tension in the face, a blink, a held breath
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Trading a hard word for an easier one, or trailing off mid-sentence
What this may mean
Stuttering is a difference in the flow of speech: repeating a sound or word, stretching a sound out, or getting stuck. Many children pass through a bumpy stretch while language is growing quickly, and for some it settles on its own; for others it continues, which is not a failure of effort or of parenting. Stuttering is not caused by nervousness, but speaking under pressure is harder for everyone.
What we pay closest attention to is not a count of the bumps but whether talking is beginning to feel risky to your child.
Three small steps
What you can do now
Tap a card to see how.
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Slow the conversation rather than the child.
Keep your own pace unhurried and your face relaxed.
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Give time without finishing sentences.
Let the word arrive. A patient listener is the most useful thing in the room.
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Talk with a speech-language pathologist about both parts.
The speech pattern, and how talking feels to your child.
How we help
We work on two things at once: making talking easier, and making talking feel safe.
In practice that means slowing the conversation rather than the child, helping a child understand what their speech is doing so it stops being mysterious and frightening, and treating confidence as a real goal, not a bonus. Much of what helps happens at your dinner table, so coaching is built in from the start.
Learn moreThe longer explanation, if you want it
Flow can be different
Stuttering is a difference in the flow of speech. It can sound like repeating a sound or a word, stretching a sound out, or getting stuck—a silent block where the word is plainly right there and will not come. Many children pass through a bumpy stretch while language is growing quickly, and for some it settles on its own. For others it continues, which is not a failure of effort or of parenting.
Two things are worth saying plainly. Stuttering is not caused by nervousness, and a child who stutters is not a nervous child. But speaking under pressure is harder for everyone—which makes the conversational world around a child a real and changeable part of the picture.
What parents often notice
Sounds or syllables repeated at the start of words. Words stretched out, or a stuck silence before a word finally arrives. Visible effort: tension in the face, a blink, a held breath. Bumpy stretches that come and go—worse when tired, excited, or hurried. Trading a hard word for an easier one, or trailing off mid-sentence. Frustration or embarrassment, and the “never mind” that follows. Everyone repeats and hesitates sometimes, and a bumpy stretch on its own is not a verdict.
When an evaluation can help
An evaluation is information, not a verdict. It looks at what your child’s speech is doing, at family history and other things worth knowing, and—just as importantly—at how your child feels about talking. Sometimes the useful answer is that this looks like a stretch worth watching rather than treating, and hearing that from someone qualified is worth a great deal. Earlier support also tends to be easier support, largely because it reaches a child before avoidance sets in.
What families can expect
Most families start with a free consultation, then an evaluation pairing standardized tools with play-based, caregiver-informed assessment. You receive a written report of strengths, individualized goals, and next steps. Families are genuinely part of this one—much of what helps happens at your dinner table, so coaching is built in from the start. A child who speaks up, asks the question, and takes a part in the play is doing exactly what we came for.