If your child has started to stutter, you might wonder whether to “wait and see” or start speech therapy right away. Research is very clear on this — speech therapy in early childhood is much more effective than waiting until later in life. Here’s why:

1. Young brains are more flexible.
   In early childhood, the brain is still wiring itself for speech and language. This makes it easier for kids to learn smoother, more fluent ways of speaking. As kids get older, those speech patterns become harder to change.
2. Habits haven’t set in yet.
   When stuttering starts, it often comes and goes. Getting help early can stop those speech bumps from becoming long-term habits. Older kids and adults have usually been stuttering for years, which makes it harder to unlearn.
3. Less fear and frustration.
   Little kids usually don’t feel embarrassed or anxious about their speech yet. Early therapy can help them speak with confidence before any negative feelings take hold. In older children or adults, therapy often has to address both speech and emotional struggles around stuttering.
4. Better long-term outcomes.
   Many preschoolers who get early help recover completely from stuttering. After about age seven, stuttering is more likely to continue into later life. That’s why early support is so important.

Bottom line:
Starting speech therapy early gives children the best chance to develop fluent, confident speech — and helps prevent stuttering from becoming a lifelong challenge.