The problem of stuttering in children of different ages. The main provoking factors that contribute to its occurrence. The main methods of dealing with this pathological condition. Stuttering in children is a pathological condition characterized by impaired speech reproduction. At the same time, the pace slows down, smoothness and continuity disappear, the voice is distorted, and breathing problems appear. These symptoms can come on suddenly and get worse over time.
The main causes of stuttering in children
In today's practice, the term "logoneurosis" is used for such a violation. It most often occurs in early childhood from three to five years. There is also a tendency towards the predominant defeat of males. The number of children suffering from stuttering worldwide is around two percent.
The presented disease does not have any single cause that would provoke it. In most cases, this is a combination of several negative factors at once. Moreover, each child is characterized by the presence of his own individual triggering factor for the disease.
Nevertheless, thanks to many studies, several main groups of causes of stuttering in children have been identified:
- Physical … These factors have the strongest impact on the problem being described. Their presence suggests very serious forms of the disease and a difficult path to recovery. The group includes all types of traumatic injuries that could in any way disrupt the center of speech reproduction in a child. This mainly concerns the subcortical regions of the brain. Particular attention is paid to the presence of neurological diseases. The defeat of the conducted paths threatens with the likelihood of the described problem appearing. Often this happens even during the passage through the birth canal and promises the occurrence of severe trauma. Many infectious pathologies, which tend to damage the brain and its lower parts, can also lead to this condition. Pathologies that harm the organs of the speech apparatus are also capable of participating in the formation of logoneurosis.
- Psychological … This group of factors is considered the most harmful in childhood. It exerts its greatest influence precisely during the period of maturation of children and adaptation to the environment. At the age of three to five, they want to know as much as possible about him, but are not yet ready for strong emotional turmoil. They can cause stuttering in a baby. A traumatic factor for the psyche can be the loss of one or both parents, a loved one, the impact of fear of the dark, bright sounds and colors. Sometimes, one horrible punishment in the form of being alone for a long period of time will be enough. Particularly noteworthy is the reaction to the inappropriate behavior of animals, which, even reluctantly, can frighten children very much.
- Social … The presented category of reasons should include, first of all, the influence of parental education. These people should be the first to be responsible for the child's speech development. An insufficient amount of time devoted to setting the correct pronunciation of words and the melody of speech can lead to profound violations. Many moms and dads complain about the lack of time, because of which their children do not have the opportunity to be listened to and do not receive adequate help. They speak the way they can, and they think it is right. Also, such violations can occur if a child is ridiculed in a kindergarten or school. Even in the absence of major speech problems, they can soon arise from child bullying. The listed problems can cause logoneurosis, even if the child was initially completely healthy.
- Provoking … This group is not the initial causative factor of stuttering, but plays a very large role in the degree of its manifestation. Depending on it, it can worsen and disappear altogether for a while. Stress and emotional stability have similar properties. With a small impact, such factors are not able to cause the problem, but they may well aggravate its condition. Children who are on the way to recovery may return to their starting point after severe fright or mother's abuse. Also, the presence of any chronic disease, especially of an infectious nature, can delay the development of children, distort their voice and make it difficult to reproduce it.
Types of stuttering in children
The presented pathology has such a vivid clinical picture that it is almost impossible not to recognize it. Most parents notice this condition immediately after its first manifestation. But there are times when they seek help very late. All of this is due to a lack of knowledge of the exact symptoms of stuttering and how it actually looks. The disease is based on spasmodic lesions of the vocal muscles of a different nature.
Depending on this, several types of stuttering are distinguished:
- Clonic … This type of pathology always arises first. Its essence lies in the fact that the child cannot begin to pronounce any word. He constantly repeats his initial syllables several times. This happens quickly and rhythmically without long pauses. Sometimes only sounds are subjected to such reproduction, in other cases - whole words from a sentence. This condition is the initial initiator of possible future violations.
- Tonic … The presented view does not replace the previous one, but seems to be superimposed on its symptoms. That is, new violations are added to the existing violations. In this case, the tone of the muscles of the speech apparatus (lips, tongue, cheeks, soft palate) sharply increases. This state leads to the fact that the child can not only start a sentence, but also delays its reproduction completely. There are longer pauses between repetitions, which may never allow children to pronounce the desired phrase. Also, the child often forgets to pronounce a word, as if it falls out of context.
- Mixed … The third type of logoneurosis combines the two previous types of problem at once. In this case, all their main symptoms are combined. It is also bad that they are able not only to combine, but also to aggravate each other's impact. This condition is called the most difficult to treat and greatly impairs the quality of life of the child.
Features of the treatment of stuttering in children
The described pathology makes tens of thousands of children unhappy around the world. After all, this not only creates audible discomfort for them, but also separates them from others. Their desires and statements are poorly understood, they are not perceived in the society of their peers, the way to various kinds of vigorous activity and artistry is closed. Such children are often very talented, but do not have the opportunity to reveal their abilities in public. To prevent this from happening, you need to pay special attention to this at the first symptoms of stuttering.
What to do for parents
First of all, their parents would like to know how to treat stuttering in children. After all, it is they who not only can, but should also influence this process like no one else. In order not to worsen the condition by your actions, but to lead the child to recovery, it is necessary to use some general advice.
In many cases, following only these rules helps to remove most of the external manifestations of the problem:
- Formation of the daily routine … Many modern mothers stubbornly ignore the children's routine. It seems to them that the timely laying of the child is absolutely not important, and they do not fulfill this mission. In fact, it is very important for a baby to get a good rest. There are certain norms for the number of hours of sleep for children, which differ depending on their age. Adhering to this correct regimen helps the growing body to fully recover. Therefore, it is very important to put your child to bed in a timely manner in the evening and devote an hour and a half to it during the day.
- Supportive environment … For children who suffer from stuttering, the stability of emotions in daily life is very important. Parents should understand and support them in any situation, not shame for bad spoken language, but try to jointly correct its pronunciation. Shouts and swearing are excluded without fail. This behavior will make the child feel even more frightened and will only aggravate his general condition. It is also important not to pay too much attention to his problem, so as not to force him to think about it all the time. Constant monitoring should be present in a moderate form and not cause discomfort to the baby.
- Joint classes … The best teaching tool is your own example. The baby's mom or dad can work with him on their own, without outside help. For this to be effective, you need to speak clearly, clearly, slowly trying to get the children to repeat what has been said. It is worth starting with the simplest syllables or phrases, gradually increasing their length and complexity. If tonic cramps are present, you can try to chant some moments, but only if the previous ones are already pronounced without unnecessary difficulties. You cannot demand perfect pronunciation from a child right away. This process is slow and lengthy, and also directly depends on his psycho-emotional state.
- Improving overall health … To do any kind of exercise with children, you need to see their general well-being. To do this, you need to engage in daily support. Various types of motion games in the fresh air are encouraged, even the most banal picnic or an ordinary walk in the park. The main thing is that they become a habit and become a regular routine. The nutrition of the child is also important, which must have been complete and balanced. You should not overfeed it with vitamin complexes, but various kinds of diets must also be excluded. In order to relieve muscle spasm, you can jointly perform various types of exercises for articulation and facial expressions.
Specialized assistance
Many parents struggle to cope with stuttering without assistance. But, unfortunately, this often leads not only to failures, but also to the aggravation of the existing problem. Modern medicine has developed a fairly large number of different methods that can be used to combat this pathology of speech in a child. The presence of such a variety of them makes it possible to carry out combination therapy, combine several types of treatment for stuttering in children at once, or alternate them for a certain amount of time.
The following are used today:
- Classes with a speech therapist … These doctors are able to provide the necessary specialized care very quickly. Classes are held individually with each child in order to devote as much time as possible to correctness and clarity in a particular case. Children are pronounced some sounds and words, offering to repeat them after. After they cope with this, it is the turn of independent work. It can be done during class, or it can be homework. The work bears the character of a gradual complication of speech patterns and pronunciation. During such an educational process, motor exercises are often used on the advice of a doctor, and the use of aids in the form of a speech therapy scapula.
- Breathing exercises … This method of exposure is extremely important and necessary in this situation. After all, its effect is aimed precisely at eliminating muscle spasm, which is involved in the formation of the voice. At the same time, the child is taught to breathe correctly, using different muscle groups and training the diaphragm. Indirectly, the vocal cords are also involved in a similar process, which in parallel relax, making the conversational tone more even and pleasant. In general, such activities have a very beneficial effect and effect, they go well with speech therapy and other types of active therapy. They are easy to implement and can be recommended for independent use.
- Massage therapy … This effect has two types of direction. One has a general effect and is used to achieve normal relaxation. In another case, a piece of alternative medicine is used in the form of acupuncture. Doctors who practice this technique have a selective effect on certain regulatory points of the human body. It can be both the head, the back of the head, arms, and legs and shoulders. Such therapy has a positive effect by suppressing neurogenic disorders. As a result, the manifestation of general symptoms, irritation and anxiety in the child decreases.
- Digital technique … Training involves the use of specially written computer programs. Today, many options have been developed by which children can learn pronunciation. To do this, they need to speak into a microphone, which will then be automatically played back with a minimum delay of a few seconds. The child just needs to adjust to his own voice and repeat after it. Thus, the technique is designed to synchronize the auditory and speech centers. Also, using the device, you can automatically ask certain questions or simulate life situations that the baby will need to emotionally express in words. Such manipulations allow you to calculate the effectiveness and level of progress of the child, as well as schedule future actions.
- Medication solution to the problem … This type of treatment is rarely used today. It is used in those moments when all the previous combinations and options were unsuccessful. Today, herbal sedatives such as valerian and motherwort are often used. In the case when the reason lies in any physiological process of the body, they can resort to the action of nootropics and anti-anxiety drugs.
How to treat stuttering in a child - watch the video:
[media = https://www.youtube.com/watch? v = PCBRLUjPnEw] The problem of stuttering in a child is developing as rapidly as modern society. Due to the era of technological progress in the world, children almost completely stopped using their own speech from infancy. The disorders that such behavior causes, in combination with some more harmful factors, not only worsen the child's quality of life, but also make him completely unadapted to socialization. Methods of dealing with this pathology are not particularly difficult, except for the one that requires a lot of attention, time and hard work of the baby and his parents together.
