As parents, we hang onto every word our little ones say—from their first “mama” or “dada” to their endless stories about dinosaurs, unicorns, or their favorite game. But what happens when those words don’t come out as smoothly as they used to?
Maybe your child suddenly starts repeating words, getting stuck on sounds, or pausing mid-sentence. If this is happening, you’re probably wondering: Is this normal? Will it go away? Do I need to do something about it?
Let’s break it down so you can feel confident in what’s going on and when (or if) you should step in.
When Speech Hiccups Are an Expected Part of Development
Between the ages of 2 and 5, many kids go through a phase of what’s called developmental disfluency—basically, little speech hiccups that happen as their brains move faster than their mouths.
Here’s what this can look like:
- Filling in gaps with “um” or “uh” → (“I umm… want the blue ball.”)
- Pausing awkwardly mid-sentence → (“I want the… juice.”)
- Saying whole words more than once → (“Gimme, gimme my toy!”)
- Starting a sentence over again → (“I want—uh, can I have the ball?”)
These little stumbles usually happen when kids are mastering more complex language—like learning new words, making longer sentences, or juggling multiple ideas at once. It’s like their brain is sprinting while their speech muscles are still tying their shoelaces.
The good news? Most kids naturally grow out of this phase, often without even noticing it themselves.
When Stuttering Might Be a Concern
While some bumps in speech are part of learning, stuttering is different. If your child’s speech seems to have more than just the occasional hiccup, it might be something worth keeping an eye on.
Here are some indicators for atypical disfluencies (aka stuttering):
- Getting stuck on sounds or syllables in a word → (“B-b-b-because I’m hungry.”)
- Dragging out sounds → (“IIIIIIIII want a cookie.”)
- Getting “blocked” where no sound comes out → (“I {pause} I want to go.”)
- Repeating single words multiple times → (“I-I-I-I want the ball.”)
And beyond the way it sounds, stuttering often looks different, too. You might notice your child:
- Tensing up their face, jaw, or hands while trying to talk
- Blinking rapidly or making other movements while speaking
- Avoiding certain words or getting frustrated when trying to talk
- Using a lot of filler words (“um, like, uh”) to avoid getting stuck
If your child is showing these patterns, and especially if they seem frustrated by them, it might be beneficial to check in with a speech therapist.
Will My Child Grow Out of Stuttering?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Some kids naturally grow out of stuttering, but others don’t. Here are a few clues that stuttering may stick around without intervention:
- A family history of stuttering
- The stuttering patterns started after age 3½
- It’s been happening for more than 6 months
- They also have trouble pronouncing sounds clearly
- Stuttering happens a lot (more than 10 times per 100 words)
- Your child seems aware of it and avoids talking because of it
While developmental disfluencies often come and go, persistent stuttering is more likely to stick around without therapy, but the earlier it’s addressed, the better the outcomes.
So, When Should You Seek Help?
If you’re wondering whether your child’s speech is just a phase or something more, trust your gut. If their speech struggles seem to be affecting their confidence, is making communication frustrating, or has been persisting for months, it’s worth reaching out to your pediatrician to ask for a referral to a speech-language pathologist (SLP) for a closer look. Our goal is to always bring peace of mind and a plan of care that works for your family.
At Hummingbird Pediatric Therapies, we take a fun, engaging, and child-centered approach to speech therapy. We know that every child’s journey is different, which is why we create personalized, play-based strategies to help kids find their voice
Have questions? Let’s chat! We’re here to help you navigate your child’s speech development with confidence.