Will my child’s stammering continue into adulthood? Is there any way to tell at this stage?

There is no certain answer to this question as every child’s background, stammer, support and situation is different. 

It is thought that 1 in 12 (approx. 8%) children stammer at some point. Many of these children grow out of this phase naturally within a few months. In comparison, around 1% of adults continue to stammer, with men 3-4 times more likely to stammer. 

Research suggests that the likelihood that a child will continue to stammer depends on many individual factors. The influence of, and interaction between, these factors is still been investigated. These are some of the factors that are believed to influence whether a child will continue to stammer:

• Age: If a child continues to stammer after the age of 12 years of age a stammer is more likely to continue into adulthood.
• Family History: A family history of stammering can increase the likelihood of a child starting and continuing to stammer.
• Emotional Factors: Stammering can lead to low self esteem, anxiety and avoidance behaviours. These in turn can also lead to an increase in stammering behaviours which can become a vicious circle. It is helpful to treat all aspects of the stammer to find lasting ways to reduce the stammer and any impact.

Research is ongoing and we'll keep updating this article in response to new findings. 

In the meantime, it's important to note that early intervention has been shown to be the most effective. If you are concerned, then make a referral to your local speech and language therapy service - we can help you find out where that is.