Parents, looking at their children, rejoice at their successes and achievements. It seems that everything is going its own way, and suddenly the child began to stutter. The first thing that immediately comes to mind: the baby just indulges. Well, if this is so, but if this is the first "swallows" of a big problem?
Types of Stuttering
But first, what it is. Logoneurosis is a speech defect, which manifests itself in rhythm disturbance, respiratory rate. This pathology is associated with compression of various parts of the speech apparatus. Most often observed in children from two to five years. This period is the peak of the development of speech.
Types of logoneurosis depend on the reasons:
- Physiological stutter. It is associated with past diseases: complications caused by encephalitis, birth injuries, organic disorders of the subcortical parts of the brain, overwork, exhaustion of the nervous system.
- Mental. It is a consequence of fear, fear, trauma to the psyche, stress, and correction of left-handedness.
- Social. This species is most often the reason that the child began to stutter at 4 years old. Factors contributing to the emergence of logoneurosis include: overload of speech material, inattention of parents, excessive severity and rigor in education, imitation of peers.
Stutter forms
To understand what and how to get rid of, you should study your "enemy." We find out what forms of stuttering are.
- By type of convulsions of speech.
- Clonic - the repetition of individual sounds, syllables or words.
- Tonic - long pauses in conversation, stretching of sounds. The child’s face is very tense, the mouth is tightly closed or half open.
Clonic and tonic forms can be observed in the same person.
An inspiratory stutter appears on inspiration. The expiratory is exhaled.
2. Due to the appearance of pathology.
- Evolutionary. Appears in children from two to six years.
- Symptomatic May occur at any age. The cause is diseases of the central nervous system, such as traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy and others.
We will talk about the types of evolutionary stutter in more detail and start with ...
Neurotic
If a child at the age of 2 began to stutter, most likely, he was influenced by neurotic factors. Of course, not only at this age children are affected by this pathology for neurotic reasons. This age lasts up to six years.
During this period, the development of speech, motor functions correspond to age or may be slightly ahead of it. During emotions, at the beginning of the conversation, clonic convulsions can be seen in the children. The kid refuses to communicate or is very worried before the performance. In addition, there is such a symptomatology as anxiety, moodiness, fear, variability of mood, sensitivity.
Strengthening of these signs occurs when overwork.
Such children are very difficult to master in a new team, especially in kindergarten. But this does not prevent them from communicating with peers and adults.
Children with a neurotic type of stuttering are always fussy and inaccurate in making small movements. They are well oriented in space, they have well-developed fine motor skills.
Neurosis-like
The reason is a malfunction of the brain. Such kids get tired very quickly, they get annoyed over trifles and look “unassembled”. Some of them may have a movement disorder.
If a child at 3 years old began to stutter, and his behavior corresponds to the above symptoms, this can be attributed to psychological trauma that arose during the intensive development of speech.
Gradually stuttering intensifies. This is especially noticeable if the child has suffered a disease or is very tired. Speech and motor functions develop on time or with a little delay.
Children do not worry about their illness. The situation in which they may fall or the environment does not affect the frequency of stuttering.
Such kids gesticulate a lot, they have a poorly developed sense of rhythm. Unusual face movements may appear during a conversation.
Causes
The child began to stutter, what should I do? This is the first question that worries parents. But before you answer it, you should understand the reason for the appearance of this disorder. Most often, this may be a violation of the interaction between articulation movements and the speech center. Sometimes the baby’s thoughts can get ahead of the motor apparatus. And the reasons for this are such factors:
- Emotional stress. Fright, anxiety, fear and even positive emotions.
- Diseases transferred in early childhood. Such as typhoid, whooping cough, measles, diseases of the throat, larynx, nose.
- Head injury or regular bruise.
- Excessive mental activity.
- Birth injury or stress suffered by a pregnant woman.
- Abnormal psycho-emotional situation in the family.
- Imitation of peers.
Now, each of the factors affecting speech will be considered in groups. Let's talk in more detail about why the child began to stutter. Consider the internal and external factors.
Impaired brain function
What is the cause of this pathology? Most often, these difficulties are associated with genetic changes. If the child began to stutter as soon as he spoke, most likely you need to look for problems in the brain. The factors causing pathology include:
- intrauterine infections;
- heredity;
- fetal oxygen starvation;
- birth trauma;
- premature birth.
External factors
If the child began to stutter at 4 years old or a little earlier, then the reasons should be sought in the external environment. The problem could appear due to the following factors:
- Infections of the central nervous system. It's about meningitis and encephalitis.
- Brain injuries. It could be a concussion or a bruise.
- The cerebral hemispheres of the child are not yet functionally ripe. Stuttering for this reason goes away without medical intervention.
- Insulin deficiency (diabetes mellitus).
- Problems with the upper respiratory tract and ears.
- Diseases leading to weakening of the body.
- Associated ailments: nightmares, enuresis, fatigue.
- Psychological trauma: fear, stress and others.
- Parents speak quickly, which contributes to the incorrect formation of the child's speech.
- Improper upbringing. The child is either spoiled too much or is demanded of him a lot.
- Imitation of peers and adults.
External factors include family conditions. If the baby is well with mom and dad, he feels the care of his parents, then he will not have problems with speech. If everything happens the other way around, then the child will be pinched from frequent conflicts, and a stutter will appear.
The child began to stutter sharply
If you find that the child suddenly began to stutter, it is most likely due to psychological trauma. Maybe someone scared him, or maybe he received a large amount of information that he could not "sort through."
If you think that the reason for this condition of the baby is a visit to the kindergarten, then leave the child at home for several days. Perform breathing exercises with him. This contributes to the formation of smooth speech without jumps. Be sure to visit several massage sessions with the child.
If a child only sometimes tries to insert an extra syllable or sound into a word during a conversation, then it is not worth worrying. The kid is experimenting. If such experiments have become a frequent occurrence, then it is time to go to a specialist.
If no more than two months have passed since the first stutter, then the effect of treatment will come earlier. This period is considered the initial stage.
The child is three years old
The child began to stutter at 3 years old, what to do in this case? The main thing is not to panic and follow the following recommendations:
- Try to make the baby speak less. Be sure to answer his questions, but do not ask him yourself.
- If possible, refuse to attend kindergarten. Do not take your baby to visit, avoid a large crowd of people, forbid the child to watch cartoons.
- Give preference to board games, drawing. These activities will help develop fine motor skills. To calm the nervous system, a child can sing to slow music and dance.
- Consult a specialist. Classes with a speech therapist and a visit to a neurologist will be welcome.
- Do not tell your child the incorrect pronunciation of a word. He can heal, and the situation will get out of control. Try to speak fluently yourself and not make mistakes in words during a conversation.
The kid is four years old
The child is 4 years old. Began to stutter, what to do? And again the same advice - no panic. The kid will look at you, understand that something is wrong with him, will begin to worry. This period is not necessary at all.
From the age of four they give so much information in preschool institutions that the brain of a small child "bursts" from overloads. The kid from kindergarten comes very tired. The result of the situation is speech impairment. If a problem occurs, try:
- Every day walking with a child in the fresh air.
- Do not let him watch TV, play computer games.
- It is advisable not to take him to kindergarten.
- Observe the regimen. The baby should go to bed in the evening on time and be sure to relax in the afternoon.
- Create a normal family atmosphere for your child. Stuttering may return after any stressful situation.
- Be sure to visit the specialists: speech therapist and neurologist.
Psychologist's advice
Has the child started to stutter? Do not worry, everything can still be fixed. Follow the advice of a psychologist:
- If the baby is having difficulty talking, be sure to maintain eye contact with him.
- In no case do not interrupt the baby. Let him finish his speech.
- Try to speak slowly yourself. Stop after every question you ask.
- Talk with your child only in short and simple sentences.
- Try not to ask a lot of questions. So he will not feel the great pressure that comes from you.
- Do not spoil him and do not give him any privileges. He should not feel sorry for him.
- Family life must comply with the rules and regulations. No randomness and fussiness.
- The child should not be very tired and overexcited.
- Try not to show your experiences. Children feel it well. This feeling begins to oppress them. With this condition of the baby, the effectiveness of treatment is reduced.
Treatment
A complete survey was conducted. The reason why the child began to stutter is established. It's time to get treatment. Full recovery can occur only with:
- regular classes;
- perseverance;
- desire;
- implementation of all recommendations.
Treatment should be comprehensive.
- Professional correction. Using certain programs, a speech therapist – defectologist can eliminate primary and secondary speech disorders. The correction program for each child is selected individually.
- Massage. For these purposes, you need an experienced pediatric masseur. The basic rules of the massage include a slow pace, an atmosphere of calm and comfort, soothing music, warm hands of a specialist. The main goal of the procedure is muscle relaxation.
- Medicines They are prescribed only in severe cases (disorder of the nervous system and psyche). Soothing, anticonvulsant drugs are used.
- Ethnoscience. Soothing decoctions are used. It will help relieve tension motherwort, valerian, nettle juice and others.
- Game activities at home. They train and reinforce skills acquired from specialists.
- Breathing exercises - develops proper breathing. Consists of exercises that combine a short, sharp breath and movement.
Parents should know that only complex treatment will help the baby get rid of speech impairment. And if the child began to stutter, you must make every effort to help your child.