Support & Refer Patients who Stutter

Essential information to help your patients who stutter

Knowing what help is available for people who stutter and when to refer can be hard to navigate. Helping your patient access support is a vital part of helping them reach their potential. Thank you for your dedication and care in making a difference.

Adult and child puzzling on floor
Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi
With your basket and my basket the people will thrive

Help for Preschool-Aged Children

Stuttering typically emerges during the preschool years, often between ages 2 and 4, as tamariki start stringing words into sentences. It can start gradually or suddenly, and can understandably be concerning for parents and whānau. While many young children who start stuttering may naturally outgrow it, not all will, underscoring the importance of referring your young patients and their parents to a specialist speech-language therapist for guidance and support regardless of how long they’ve been stuttering for.

If any of the following situations apply to your patient, please get in contact with us:

  • If the child has been stuttering for more than a few months
  • If the child is aware of their stuttering and feeling upset about it
  • If the parent is feeling worried about their child’s stuttering
  • If stuttering runs in the child’s whānau, suggesting a potential genetic component
  • If the parent has noticed that the stuttering is happening more frequently or becoming more noticeable
  • If there seems to be a lot of tension or effort when the child is talking

We provide a warm and FREE phone consultation service for parents and whānau of preschool-aged children who stutter. Here, they’ll receive valuable advice, guidance, and support, with the option for therapy if this is necessary.

Make An Enquiry

Help for Children, Adolescents & Adults

For school-aged children, adolescents, and adults, START provides individual therapy sessions tailored to their needs, available either in person (Auckland) or via Zoom (elsewhere in Aotearoa). Additionally, START offers a variety of groups and courses designed to support individuals who stutter.

Sometimes, stuttering can develop during later childhood and adolescence. It can also arise later in life, often as a result of a stroke, head injury, or as part of the progression of a neurological condition. Stuttering can occasionally be triggered by some medicines or by emotional trauma. 

More About Stuttering

Need to refer?

If you have a patient who stutters and is seeking therapy and/or support, please get in touch. We’d love to help.

 

Make An Enquiry