>And we've started praising the (few) times where he has smooth speech. I don't mean to sound rude, and I don't mean to alarm you, but - please don't do that. Don't just praise situations with fluency. If your child is a stutterer, they should _not_ learn that only fluency is in order. Something to consider. - > I figure she has already pieced most this together and feels bad enough. So far, all I've said is that I feel defeated and like a failure as a father, and that I would have so much rather he had been a little delayed than having such a severe stutter. So she can probably read between the lines. Two things here. Talk to your wife specifically about this, now. You both need to be on the same page, and you both need to help your kid in any way you can, from that same understanding. Parents really can make a difference, but you're going to have to be sure that you're working together properly on this. The other thing is that there's no failure here. A stutter is something that some people get, and there's not anything you could've done to prevent it. It's not something we can screen for ta birth, and it's not something we can avoid by doing or not doing certain things. Whether or not the stutter onset was hastened or whether normal speech would've developed with just a delay is pointless to think about now. Just focus on the kid. No blame, just teamwork and support. Figure out the best way of going about things here, and you'll all be fine. Work with family, school, speech therapists, whatever you see fit. Stuttering isn't anyone's fault. It's just a thing that happens to some people.