Normal
Fluency
Development
The ability to speak fluently is a skill that develops as children grow. All children, especially between the ages of two and six, occasionally stumble or hesitate as they begin to put sounds, words, and sentences together. These normal dysfluencies are different from stuttered speech, both in the number of times they occur and in the way in which they are produced. The following are examples of normal dysfluencies:
1. Whole word and phrase repetitions -"My, my ball is on the roof." I want, I want to get up."
2. Revising sentences - It went, My ball went on the roof."
3. Pauses filled with um, ah, uh - "I want my, um, ball."
4. Silent pauses such as hesitations -Daddy, I want (pause) my ball."
5. Infrequent, easy, single, part-word repetitions - Y-you said you'd get it."
Children vary widely in the number and types of normal dysfluencies they produce. Some children will remain quite fluent except for an occasional hesitation or pause. Others are obviously dysfluent, showing the entire range of normal dysfluencies described above. In general, the most common normal dysfluencies are whole-word repetitions, and these occur most frequently at the beginnings of sentences. Boys seem to show more word repetitions than girls, but both boys and girls show fewer repetitions as they grow.
You may notice that these normal dysfluencies occur more frequently in your child's speech at certain times. Normal dysfluencies seem to increase under some conditions. When your child is excessively tired, excited or in more formal speaking situations such as speaking with and adult, dysfluencies will typically increase. Talking with a partner who speaks much faster than the child or who is non-attentive may make it more difficult for the child to remain fluent. Likewise, when the child interrupts, tries less familiar vocabulary words or attempts more form language, the number of normal dysfluencies can be expected to rise.
1. Whole word and phrase repetitions -"My, my ball is on the roof." I want, I want to get up."
2. Revising sentences - It went, My ball went on the roof."
3. Pauses filled with um, ah, uh - "I want my, um, ball."
4. Silent pauses such as hesitations -Daddy, I want (pause) my ball."
5. Infrequent, easy, single, part-word repetitions - Y-you said you'd get it."
Children vary widely in the number and types of normal dysfluencies they produce. Some children will remain quite fluent except for an occasional hesitation or pause. Others are obviously dysfluent, showing the entire range of normal dysfluencies described above. In general, the most common normal dysfluencies are whole-word repetitions, and these occur most frequently at the beginnings of sentences. Boys seem to show more word repetitions than girls, but both boys and girls show fewer repetitions as they grow.
You may notice that these normal dysfluencies occur more frequently in your child's speech at certain times. Normal dysfluencies seem to increase under some conditions. When your child is excessively tired, excited or in more formal speaking situations such as speaking with and adult, dysfluencies will typically increase. Talking with a partner who speaks much faster than the child or who is non-attentive may make it more difficult for the child to remain fluent. Likewise, when the child interrupts, tries less familiar vocabulary words or attempts more form language, the number of normal dysfluencies can be expected to rise.
