Can a child stop stammering?

Dr Vincent Karuhanga
Our five-year-old son is starting to stammer, yet he had started speaking very fluently as early as two years old. Is it a medical disorder that needs attention or will it go away naturally? Ridley
Dear Ridley,

Almost every child goes through a period when talking is an effort and the words don’t come out as expected, may hesitate while speaking, repeat the words and even show facial strain in what is called stammering.

 This is a normal part of speech development that may be common from two to five years of age and may not have happened earlier because younger children use shorter words or sentences that do not need much thinking before speaking.

 Later, as children try to express newer ideas requiring to use longer words or sentences, they may stammer before the end of a long sentence as they try to find the right words.

However, much as many children may start stammering then genetics, or stress like the coming of another baby may also contribute to stammering but in most cases, children outgrow stammering and, therefore, may not in most cases require treatment by a language and speech therapist.

That said, a parent requires to help a stammering baby by dealing with the cause of its stress, giving lots of attention to the baby as it tries to speak. Also, do not ask them to repeat the words, which may make them aware that stammering is not normal but bad, hence causing more tension and stammering.

Parents may not know whether a child may outgrow stammering or not, hence the need to consult their doctor immediately a child starts stammering to catch the problem early and address it better. A doctor may also rule out other causes of stammering such as brain injury and address them more effectively.

Although I like exercising, I have recently started going to sauna instead. However, I have realised the sauna is making me sexually weak. Do saunas cause impotence? Kesi
Dear Kesi,

A number of people wrongly believe that the sauna, since it makes one sweat is equivalent to physical exercise in as far as managing weight is concerned. We sweat when we are hot so that we can cool down. This also happens during physical exercise as well as when one goes to the sauna.

Saunas, therefore, neither burn fat to manage weight nor do they burn calories like physical exercise does.
About 40 per cent of fertility problems that couples experience are caused by a problem with male fertility, especially low sperm count, which can be worsened by the sauna.

Although in normal couples saunas may cause no fertility problems, those with low sperm count should avoid them. A sauna may affect sperm count but will not cause problems in erection and, therefore, may pause no impotence problems.

Originally, you used to have time for physical exercise but now you do not because you are too busy. Being too busy may be stressing you and causing you erection problems.

Addressing the stress and resuming your exercise routine can improve your sexual ability, which should not be measured in rounds since as people grow older, they may take longer to ejaculate. Also, one long round could be better than many quick unsatisfying rounds.

Disclaimer

This information is not medical care and no doctor-patient relationship is created by this use of the information. Content in this section is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or care from your physician.

 This information is not a substitute for a formal diagnosis, physical examination, or prescription and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Do not ignore or delay obtaining professional medical advice because of information accessed here. 

Please see your doctor in person if you are looking for a personal medical evaluation, diagnosis, prescription, or treatment.


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