Stammering & Fluency Check
Is your child’s talking smooth, or do they get stuck or repeat words?
These questions look at how smoothly your child talks. A bit of bumpy, repeated talking is a normal part of learning to speak — especially between 2 and 5 — so try not to worry as you go.
It’s a supportive guide, not a diagnosis. It helps you see whether a stammer might benefit from some support, and what you can gently do at home in the meantime.
How old is your child?
Just pick the closest age — that way we can ask the right questions.
If your child does this sometimes, or has ever done it, go with “Sometimes” rather than “Not yet”. “Not yet” simply means it’s still on its way. There are no wrong answers here, and a couple of “not yet”s is completely normal.
Signs it’s worth getting a little help
- The stammer started recently and is getting worse
- Visible effort, tension, blinking or facial movement when talking
- Your child avoids words, gives up, or gets upset about talking
- The stammer has lasted more than about 6 weeks, began after age 3½, or runs in the family — early referral works best, so don’t wait to ask a therapist
Get help straight away if your child has lost skills they used to have, or doesn’t seem to hear you or respond to sounds (ask your doctor for a hearing test — don’t wait). And if your child is ever in immediate danger or has hurt themselves, call your local emergency number or go to your nearest emergency department now.
✓ Saved on this device — your result and progress stay private, and they’ll be right here whenever you come back.
Based on: ASHA — childhood fluency / stuttering guidance · Our evidence base. A supportive guide, not a diagnosis.
Why Stammering & Fluency matters
Here’s why this matters, and why we say it gently: fluency is really about how a child feels when they talk, not just how the words come out. Plenty of bumpy, repeated speech between two and five is a completely normal part of a busy little brain racing ahead of the mouth. What we care about is that your child keeps talking freely and enjoys it, rather than starting to hold back, swap words, or feel that speaking is hard work.
In our clinic we’re clear that a stammer is never anyone’s fault, and it’s never a sign of a slow or anxious child — it’s simply how some children’s speech develops. The reason we don’t just "wait and see" for every child is that confidence is worth protecting early, before talking becomes something to dread. A calm, unhurried, pressure-free way of chatting at home helps enormously, and when a little extra support is useful, giving it sooner keeps your child feeling like a confident talker with plenty to say.