8yo son is a great reader but stops to take breaths often

[74Heaven]

My son is a great reader and has excellent comprehension skills.

 

However, he stops just about anywhere (but usually at the end of 1-2 sentences (while talking OR reading) and takes a big breath. It appears he is kind of holding his breath while he reads and then catching up with a big breath when he needs to. He is reading at a 5th or 6th grade level. He reading is fine. I *do* still need to remind him to stop at periods when reading aloud - a long time habit that I have been remiss in helping him correct....

 

This same son was taken to a speech therapist about 5yo because he was stuttering; sometimes at the beginning of a sentence but more often, by repeating the last-syllable of a word. Like "lake" would be come "lake-ake" or even a one syllable word like stove, might be "stove-ove". Anyway, the speech therapist said it would be up to me, but she sugg. just waiting it out and see if it would go away. It has for the most part, altho he still does stutter sometimes, usually when tired or excited, and usually, just 5-10 times per week total. Definitely not a problem.

 

Does anyone know what his "breath=taking" habit is called? Has anyone else experienced it? I am pretty sure it is a habit that he has done for a few years and it just seemed really noticeable in the last year or so?

 

I am trying to decide what to do. Something I can do at home or if I should take him in for an evaluation?

 

Thanks!

Lisaj, mom to 5

[felicity]

I don't know what it's called, but I had to post because that seems so familiar. My 8yo does the same thing. He started in speech at age 3 because he would not talk, finished at 6 and is back in now. He will hold his breath and eventually I can't hear him when he's reading because he's out of breath. He also read at the same level as your son.

 

Right now I'm just reminding him before we begin to read to take breaths when he needs them and to slow down. The reminder to slow down does more for him than anything else. I also have him practice reading a couple of words and taking a breath then reading a few more. We exaggerate it so it's funny but then when he read he does it correctly.

 

Hope something in there helps. I don't know why or what it's called, that's been my simple, home-grown fixes that we're still working on.