early childhood

Understanding Stuttering in Young Children

Um, um, ah…my almost five year old daughter has been struggling with stuttering for the past few months. Stuttering by definition is a disruption of speech. This can look and sound different from child to child. Some of the most common stutters are:

  • Repeating sounds, syllables or words like W-W-What
  • Prolonged sounds for example SSSend
  • Using interjections such as um, like, ah
  • Blocked speech, mouth open but no words coming out
  • Being out of breath or nervous while talking
  • Increased stuttering when tired, excited or stressed
  • Being afraid to talk

While often concerning to parents, stuttering is common and often a normal part of speech development. Early signs of stuttering usually show up between 18-24 months as there is an increase in vocabulary which results in children putting together sentences. However, it can also show up later, usually between the age of two to five and may come and go through time. My daughter for example, started with a mild stutter at age 4, disappeared after a few months, and then reappeared just a few months ago.

a mom and her daughter
Mom and her daughter child girl are talking and laughing.

There is no agreed upon reason for stuttering, but there are a few theories. One is that the brain’s messages for speaking has a disconnect with the muscles needed for speech, in other words our words cannot keep up with what our brain wants to say. Another is that stuttering has a large genetic component and can be passed from parent to child.

As a parent with a child that has a stutter it can be really frustrating at times. Here are some tips to help your child:

  • Don’t interrupt your child or tell them to start over
  • Don’t tell them to think before they speak
  • Don’t tell them to slow down or take your time-these comments can make them self-conscious about their speech
  • Don’t make your child speak correctly at all times
  • Don’t finish their sentences for them, even if you anticipate what the end might be
  • Do let your child finish their thoughts and sentences before responding
  • Do slow down your own talking so they may match your own calm and pace
  • Do maintain eye contact with your child when they are speaking
  • Do encourage talking about fun and easy topics

Most of the time stuttering will go away on its own. However, if stuttering lasts more than six months, is impacting your child’s life, or you notice other concerning symptoms ask your pediatrician for a referral to a speech language pathologist for an evaluation. As a parent of a child with a stutter it can be difficult for both the parent and child; her younger brother tends to interrupt while she is trying to get her words out, I try my best to not finish her sentences. But with some time and some patience we will get through this together.

References: KidsHealth (March 2022). Stuttering. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/stutter.html
John’s Hopkins Medical Center (n.d.) Stuttering in Children https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/stuttering

Written by: Katie Schlagheck, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator Ottawa & Sandusky Counties, Ohio State University Extension

Reviewed by: Holly Bandy, Family and Consumer Sciences Educator, Stark County, Ohio State University Extension

Little Fears and Big Worries

Think back to when you were a young child. What were you afraid of? Right now my preschool aged daughter is having a lot of fears. Things that as an adult seem unrealistic like bugs, standing on a step stool, and getting lost, but to her these fears are very real.

We know that young children are great at pretending and using their imagination. This can also cause many fears as kids can think of a million different unrealistic things that could happen or things, like monsters that are not real but may feel very real. Other common fears are fear of the dark, loud noises like fireworks, thunder and lightning, or being apart from their caregivers. These fears are normal and almost an expected part of child development.

Hug, father and girl hug for comfort

When fears arise there are some tips to help with the situation:

  • Give comfort to let your child know that they are safe, give hugs, and whatever you do to help your child feel safe and protected.
  • Talk and listen, be calm and soothing and try to get your child to put their feeling to words.
  • Don’t dismiss their fears and worries, to them they are very real.
  • Limit exposure to scary images, movies, or shows.
  • Praise and reward kids for coping with their fears to teach them they can deal with fears in the future as they arise.
  • Don’t cater to fears-don’t avoid things because your child has the fear. For example, if your child is fearful of dogs don’t cross the street to avoid walking by dogs, instead talk through it and remain calm as you face that fear.
  • There are many children’s books out there with themes of being scared or with facing fears. “The Worrysaurus” by Rachel Bright and “The Very Hungry Worry Monsters” by Rosie Greening are two of many on the subject. There are also episodes of children’s shows on the subject like “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood: Daniel Gets Scared.”

Lately with my daughter she has been telling me she is worried about different things. This has made me do some exploring. The question being, when do fears go beyond fear and cross over into anxiety?

Some signs in anxiety in children are if their fears seem extreme or are more than the fears of those of similar ages. For example, it would not be likely that an older child would experience separation anxiety. If fears cause your child to become very upset, tearful, irritable, or clingy. If fears keep your child from doing things like going to school, sleeping alone, or leaving the house, cause issues sleeping like waking in the night, bad dreams or bed wetting, cause symptoms like stomachaches, headaches, dizziness or sickness., or have a lot of negative thoughts or keep thinking bad things are going to happen.

Whether your child is having a little fear or a big worry, as caregivers we can try to be as supportive as possible to help children overcome their fears, developing ways to cope with their fears and anxieties and to give comfort to them as best as we can.

Written by: Katie Schlagheck, OSU Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences , Ottawa & Sandusky Counties

Reviewed by: Holly Bandy, OSU Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences

References: https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/health-daily-care/mental-health/anxiety-in-children

Spring into Action: Managing Your Child’s Asthma

child with asthma using an inhaler

Ah spring! Time to get outside and take some deep breaths. However, for families with children suffering from asthma, it is a reminder to keep triggers in check and be prepared to treat flare ups at a moment’s notice. May is Asthma Awareness Month and for millions of families it is a reminder of the importance of helping their child manage their life-long condition.

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that there are about 4.5 million U.S. children living with asthma. Although childhood asthma isn’t different from adult asthma, there are additional challenges to controlling asthma in children. Missing days of school, avoiding triggers, managing medication, and adhering to action plans are uniquely difficult issues related to managing childhood asthma. While the exact cause of asthma is unknown, the following risk factors may make a child more likely to have asthma:

  • Family history of asthma
  • Respiratory illnesses, such as flu, colds, RSV
  • Allergies and eczema (atopic dermatitis)
  • A mother who smoked during pregnancy
  • Exposure to secondhand and thirdhand tobacco smoke after birth
  • Living in an area with high air pollution

According to the American Lung Association, asthma attacks or “flare ups” are caused by swelling of the airway, extra mucus production, and tightening of the muscles around the airways. These symptoms make it more difficult for air to move through the lungs. This “What is Asthma” video helps explain the condition:  https://youtu.be/batzSytA1Y0

Doctors use a variety of methods to diagnose asthma in children. Allergy testing, blood tests, and X-rays, are a few of the tests doctors use to develop treatment plans. Depending on the type and severity of your child’s asthma, they may recommend seeing an allergist or pulmonologist which are doctors who specialize in the respiratory system.

If your child is diagnosed with asthma, it is important to know the triggers and symptoms of an attack. Managing triggers is important because after an asthma episode, children are at greater risk for experiencing additional flare ups. Cincinnati Children’s Hospital shares the following Common Triggers of Asthma Attacks.

  • Tobacco Smoke
  • House Dust Mites
  • Indoor and Outdoor Pollens and Molds
  • Pets
  • Cockroaches
  • Strong Odors and Sprays
  • Exercise, Sports, Work and Play

The Mayo Clinic suggests seeing a doctor if your child displays the following symptoms:

  • Coughing that is constant, is intermittent or seems linked to physical activity
  • Wheezing or whistling sounds when your child breathes out
  • Shortness of breath or rapid breathing
  • Complaints of chest tightness
  • Repeated episodes of suspected bronchitis or pneumonia

Asthma management in developing young children is especially important because according to the American Lung Association, if left untreated, it can lead to airway remodeling, a condition in which the lungs become scarred, asthma medicines do not work as well, and less air is able to move through the airways.

Living with a child who has asthma can be stressful but understanding triggers, warning signs, and having a plan in place can help families feel prepared to manage their child’s condition.

Families can access the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American’s Asthma Action Plan here to share with family, friends, schools, and other caregivers.

Author:  Heather Reister, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Butler County. 

Reviewer:  Laura Stanton, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences, Warren County.

Sources:

Asthma in children. Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America. (2024, January 30). https://aafa.org/asthma/living-with-asthma/asthma-in-children/

Asthma: Reducing Triggers in Your Home. Cincinnati Childrens. (2022). https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/a/asthma-triggers-home

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2023, April 5). Childhood asthma. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/childhood-asthma/symptoms-causes/syc-20351507

Tips to help control your child’s allergic asthma. YouTube. (2024, January 8). https://youtu.be/9R9JVaR3CsE

What is asthma? American Lung Association. (n.d.). https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/asthma/learn-about-asthma/what-is-asthma