Fluency (stuttering)
Stuttering therapy for kids and teens
Fluency therapy can help kids and teens who stutter, ages 4 to 17, find strategies that support their communication. For young kids, your therapist walks you through how to support them at home during moments of disfluency. Older kids and teens learn strategies and practice the hard moments, like reading aloud, preparing for a social event, or answering the phone.
- Ages 4 to 17
- 30-minute sessions by video
- Parent coaching in every session
- Anywhere in Texas
Good to know
The short version
- For young kids who stutter, it is possible that it could stop on its own through development. However, if stuttering persists after age 4, we do recommend a fluency evaluation for speech therapy.
- With kids under the age of 6, parents are a big part of therapy, as we work together to develop strategies and tools for home.
- Speech therapy can provide support, strategies and tools for fluent speech production; however, we do not expect stuttering to stop or go away.
Who it helps
Is this right for my child?
- Young kids who repeat sounds or syllables, stretch sounds, or get stuck on words
- Kids who tense up or struggle when they talk, or who've started to avoid talking
- School-age kids and teens who want to feel more comfortable talking in class, with friends or on the phone
- Parents who want to know how to respond when their child stutters
Signs to watch for
What signs should parents watch for?
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Age or situation: Ages 4 to 6
- Repeats parts of words often, like "b-b-b-ball," rather than whole words or phrases
- Stretches sounds, like "sssssun," or gets stuck with no sound coming out
- Has stuttered for 6 months or more
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Age or situation: Any age
- Tenses up, blinks or looks away when stuck on a word
- Avoids talking, switches words, or says they can't talk
- Gets upset or frustrated about talking
- Has a parent or other relative who stutters, or has other speech or language concerns
If you are seeing one or more of these in your child, it may be worth taking a closer look with a fluency evaluation.
Online sessions
What therapy looks like
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What happens in a session?
With young kids, a lot of the session is about you. Your therapist watches you and your child talk and play, then shows you how to respond when your child stutters and how to set up relaxed talking time at home.
Older kids and teens work with their therapist directly. They learn how speech works, practice ways to talk more easily, and work on worrying less about stuttering. Video makes it easy to practice real moments, like reading aloud or a phone call.
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What will I do?
With kids under about 6, you're in every session and practice for a few minutes most days. Your therapist shows you exactly what to do. With older kids, you'll learn how stuttering works, how to listen without jumping in, and how to talk to teachers about it.
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How is progress tracked?
Progress here is about more than counting stutters. At the evaluation, we look at how often your child stutters, how much effort it takes, and how they feel about talking. We track all three in sessions and go over them with you regularly. Stuttering comes and goes, so we won't promise a result or a timeline.
Learn more
What’s the difference between typical disfluency and stuttering?
Every kid says “um” and repeats words sometimes, especially between 2 and 5 when language is growing fast. Stuttering looks different.
| Typical disfluency | Signs of stuttering |
|---|---|
| Repeats whole words or phrases, like “I want, I want juice” | Repeats parts of words, like “j-j-juice” |
| Uses fillers like “um” or “uh” | Stretches sounds, like “mmmmilk,” or gets stuck with no sound |
| Talks without effort or tension | Shows tension, blinking or struggle |
| Doesn’t seem to notice | Notices, gets frustrated, or avoids talking |
Will my child stutter forever?
Not necessarily. The NIDCD estimates that about 75 percent of children who stutter stop. A family history of stuttering, stuttering that has lasted a while, or other speech and language concerns can make it more likely to continue. For kids who keep stuttering, therapy helps them talk more easily and feel better about talking, whether or not the stutter goes away.
The Stuttering Foundation has free information for parents, teachers and teens.
Pricing
Simple, clear pricing
One price list for everyone, and you pay per visit. We don't bill insurance, but we can provide you with a superbill for you to send to your insurance company for out-of-network coverage. We do accept HSA and FSA cards.
See pricing-
Evaluation
$175
60 minutes
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Therapy session
$75
30 minutes
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Consultation call
Free
15 minutes
Related services
You might also be looking for
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Articulation (speech sounds)
For kids who have difficulty pronouncing certain words and sounds or who are difficult to understand when they speak.
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Social communication
For kids who have difficulty interacting with other kids, taking turns in play or in conversations, understanding emotions, nonliteral language, or picking up on tone of voice.
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Fluency (stuttering) for adults
For adults who stutter and are looking for strategies to increase ease of communication, modify moments of disfluency and increase confidence when speaking.
Questions
Questions parents ask
Still wondering about something? A free 15-minute call is a good place to ask.
Will my child outgrow stuttering?
Many do. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders estimates that about 75 percent of kids who stutter stop. There's no way to know ahead of time which ones will, so an evaluation is worth it if you're worried.
Is it normal for a toddler to repeat words?
Some repeating is normal while young kids learn to talk, especially repeating whole words or phrases. Repeating parts of words, stretching sounds or getting stuck, especially with tension, are reasons to get an evaluation.
What should I do when my child stutters?
Stay calm, keep eye contact and let your child finish. Don't tell them to slow down or take a breath. Your therapist will show you more ways to respond.
Does stuttering therapy work over video?
Video works well for it. Kids and teens practice in their own home, and your therapist can guide you during real conversations. The evaluation tells us whether it fits your child.
Did I cause my child's stutter?
No. Parents don't cause stuttering. Research points to differences in how the brain handles speech, and it often runs in families.
Ready when you are
Most families start with a 60-minute evaluation. If you'd rather talk first, book a free 15-minute call and ask us anything.
Reviewed by Whitney Silverthorn, M.S., CCC-SLP, speech-language pathologist at Talking Jay.
Sources: Stuttering, Cluttering, and Fluency (Practice Portal), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; Stuttering (fact sheet), National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders; Stuttering Foundation, Stuttering Foundation of America