“Hi, my daughter turned 3 in Jan this year. We have noticed over the last few months that she has begun to stutter. Her father suffered quite badly from stuttering when he was younger so I want to be proactive in this situation. Can you please tell me what options are available?”

It is good that you are proactive because there is an effective, evidence-based treatment for stuttering during the preschool years called the Lidcombe Program.

The aim of the Lidcombe Program is to completely resolve the stuttering. Many of the children who have completed the program do not remember stuttering; some are not ever aware they did it.

Your child’s stuttering behaviours have started at the typical age. Speech dysfluencies are common in preschool-age children; without treatment some of these children will go on to stutter throughout life whereas others will stop being dysfluent by themselves.

Research has suggested that treatment with the Lidcombe Program is quicker if the child has been stuttering for a year. This may be due to the cognitive requirements of treatment. However, it is also advisable to start treatment sooner if the stuttering is distressing the child.

Before treatment it is good to observe how the stuttering changes over time. Notice if it comes and goes, and whether the length and severity of any cycles change.

You shouldn’t comment on the stuttering. Let your child know you are waiting for them. If they become “stuck” on a word for a lengthy period you could try saying this word for them. Some children won’t mind this, and it allows them to move on to the next word. Other children dislike this strategy, and for these children it should be discontinued.

At an assessment I weigh up risk factors for persistent stuttering and factors for treatment success to recommend whether or when to commence treatment.

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