Stutter

Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the person who stutters is unable to produce sounds.

Causes

The exact cause of stuttering is unknown, but it is believed to involve a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Some evidence indicates that stuttering is more common in people who have a family history of the disorder. Other factors that may contribute to stuttering include developmental problems, speech motor control abnormalities, and psychological stressors.

Symptoms

The primary symptoms of stuttering can vary significantly from person to person, both in frequency and severity. These can include repetitions of words or parts of words, as well as prolongations of speech sounds. These disruptions may be accompanied by physical tension or struggle in the speech muscles, as well as by fear, embarrassment, or anxiety about speaking.

Treatment

There is no cure for stuttering, but many treatment options are available. These can include speech therapy, electronic devices, and self-help groups. The goal of these treatments is to help the person who stutters learn to communicate more effectively and confidently.

See also

• Speech and language pathology
• Speech disorder
• Speech-language pathology

References

Stutter Resources
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