Can you find helpful exercises online or failing that go to a speech theatapist. Maybe YouTube will help with exercises to repeat.

I think it’s best to try and correct it for his own confidence.

Ring speech therapy and you should be able to self refer. Let them know that you had dysfluency as a child. In the meantime don’t draw attention to it and when he says something repeat it back and then comment. Reduce any background noise eg TV radio etc. When talking try to be face to face and at his level. Reduce the questions you ask him and comment on what he is doing instead. Try to do 4 comments to 1 question, that way he will have heard the language needed to answer you. When you ask a question give him up to 20 seconds to answer you, this will seem forever but it will give him time to process what is being said. Keep your sentences short ie if he is joining up to 4 words your sentence shouldn’t be more than 5 words. Get down to the floor play with him and let him take the lead. All the best 1 shed.

My daughter stuttered a bit at that age. It went away naturally. Apparently it’s quite common. Drawing attention to it generally just causes stress, so just do the best you can to not cause any stress about it.

However, discussing it with an expert is sensible.

My nephew did exactly that when he was 3, including the not playing with other kids. He’s 4 now and naturally grew out of the stuttering… And he’s working on his socialising and sharing skills 🙂

+1 for Eskay. I was a child stutterer. Quite bad too util I was about 7 or 8, then started to calm down and by 11 or so was fine. My younger had a very mild stammer but she’s 7 now and it’s gone.

Way way too early to start panicking and seeking professional help. It is quite common for young kids to stammer.

As someone who grew up with a younger brother that had a stammer – never interrupt the child or finish words/sentences off for them. My brother outgrew his stammer and never hints at having one at all as an adult although he *IS* a serial repeater – he will say something then say it again (and again) in different structures of the same sentence 🙂

My eldest daughter did it, it got quite bad, we thought about taking her to a specialist – but were told by the GP to wait and see. She grew out of it. Now she won’t shut up. We were told it was something to do with their brain rushing to communicate … lots of things going on.

Are you doing all you can to give him confidence? You say you are ‘both’ upset about this – you may be putting pressure on him without realising it.

What is positive encouragement to parents can be overwhelming pressure to some kids and permanent disappointment when they can’t do something. This is really bad for confidence.

But also make sure he knows he doesn’t really have to do it, and you’re ok either way.

My daughter creates enough of her own motivation that anything from me just creates too much pressure which makes her go to pieces. She knows well enough that she wants to do it and I want her to without me having to labour the point. She’s one of these people that has to get there on her own.

Similar to a number of the responses above – our youngest, now 4 and 1/2 was exactly the same at around the same age as yours. Really struggled to get started with his sentences – constantly repeating the first syllable or word. Very frustrating for him and quite upsetting for us, but as his language has improved he does it less and less. Can’t say that I have noticed him doing it for ages now.

had this with my youngest, at around the same age. he was very aware of it, and said “daddy, i can’t talk anymore” which was awful. we were referred to a speech therapist. by the time we had an appt through, (couple of months) it had almost completely disappeared. the specialist said his brain was working faster than he could vocalise, hence the stammer.

he’s 5 now, and no problems

We too have a three year old who stutters. He’s also seeing a speech therapist as his speech is delayed due to issues from earlier in life. We just give him time, never try and talk over or rush him and try encourage him to talk more by asking simple questions. We aren’t worried, he’s only three and if we worry he may pick up on it.

The only downside is for him when he’s gets frustrated trying to get something across. That and the fact that he’ll try and describe things through actions and noises if words fail. He’s a super confident, happy little tyke though.

Completely normal. Kids are bonkers and great

Language develops at a different rate in some children. My lad had speech issues at 3, but they cleared up pretty quickly about a year or so later with a bit of help from speech therapy.

a couple of things from me, someone who has stuttered all my life, and has a son who stuttered at 3 and 4…

firstly DON’T IGNORE IT. go and see a speech therapist, on the NHS.

speech therapy for kids has changed a lot in the last ten years, it’ll be totally un-intrusive for your son (if the speech therapist thinks he needs it), and it works. my son went from a bad stammer, to totally stutter free in 6 / 8 months.

Do it, catch it early, don’t let it become a habit, because if it does, he’ll be stuck with it..

I didn’t stutter as a child nor do I normally as an adult but it’s one of the symptoms if my migraines. I either stutter or take long pauses between words.