Speech Therapy for Stammering
We offer speech therapy for stammering, for a range of ages, using a variety of approaches. We’re confident we can support you and your child, helping them to become confident communicators.
Stammering vs stuttering: What's the Difference?
You may have heard both of these words used. Speech therapists often use these words interchangeably and they actually mean exactly the same thing. Generally stammering is a term mainly used in the UK and stuttering is generally used in the USA and Australia.
Sudden stammering - what causes it?
When your child suddenly starts stammering it can be a really worrying time. It can feel as if it has come from nowhere. The struggle to get words out can be painful and upsetting to watch in a child who previously spoke easily. It is natural to want to identify the cause. If you can find the cause then surely you can fix it? Unfortunately it is not that straightforward.
Stammering is a complex, multifactorial neurodevelopmental condition. Whilst it can seem like the stammer has come from nowhere it most likely has arisen from an interplay of factors that have coincided at once. We would always recommend a thorough assessment with a therapist experienced with stammering. A therapist will help identify the factors that might be at play and talk through with you what might happen with the stammer and how to help. Parents usually feel reassured, more confident and more knowledgeable after this first appointment. Sometimes we will recommend therapy straight away and sometimes we will advise you to try a few strategies and contact us again in 6 weeks.
Speech Therapy for stammering for under 7s
For children under 7 we offer two evidence based therapy programmes but are more likely to recommend an indirect approach via parents.
Palin Parent Child Interaction therapy is a 12 week programme - 6 weekly sessions and then a review at 12 weeks. We work with parents rather than directly with the child and sometimes parents choose to attend without their child to help them focus. You can read more about this therapy here: Therapy for under 7s - The Michael Palin Centre for Stammering.
The Lidcombe Program is a longer and more intensive therapy that works directly with your child. It is based on behavioural psychology and we train you to deliver therapy daily. Stage 1 of the therapy can last anywhere from 8 - 24 weeks - this is when you will meet with us weekly. Stage 2 is the consolidation stage and lasts for a year - we will meet with you monthly during this time.
Speech Therapy for stammering for over 7s
For older children we are more likely to recommend direct therapy, particularly if they are aware of their stammer and it is affecting their confidence. We also like to work with parents too to increase their knowledge and skills.
Therapy will focus on confidence, resilience, understanding their stammer and using speech techniques to manage their stammer. Most children who are over 7 have stammered for some time and are more likely to continue stammering into adulthood. Our focus at this age is to encourage confident speaking regardless of their stammer.
Therapy for teenagers and adults
Stammering does not have a cure however therapy can help to reduce the severity of the stammer and build communication confidence. Speech therapy has a large psychological component and we use several different therapeutic approaches including cognitive behavioural therapy and solution focused therapy. We can also choose from a wide range of speech techniques depending on the needs of the client.
As an additional option we are also trained in the evidence based Camperdown Program - a speech restructuring program that includes prolonged-speech-type procedures. Treatment requires the client to learn a new speech pattern that is incompatible with stuttering. The main aim of the program is to reduce stuttering in everyday speech situations (i.e. not just in the clinic). It also helps clients develop the skills to self-manage their stuttering over time and to reduce the risk of relapse.
