Stuttering: What is it?
Stuttering, also known as stammering or childhood-onset fluency disorder, is a speech disorder. It is characterized by:
- repeated words, syllables, and sounds
- halting speech
- uneven rate of speech
Stuttering involves problems with normal fluency and flow of speech. People with stutters know what they want to say but struggle to say it. For example, they may repeat a syllable or vowel sound or prolong a word or a consonant. Or they may pause amidst speaking because they may have encountered a word or sound that they find difficult to pronounce.
As per reports from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), stuttering affects approximately 5 to 10 percent of all children at some point. The phenomenon most often occurs between the ages of 2 and 6.
Most children stop stuttering when they transition into adulthood. As the child grows and progresses, the stuttering typically stops. Early intervention can help prevent the occurrence of stuttering in adulthood.
According to the NIDCD, an estimated 25% of children continue to stutter as adults.
Types of stuttering
There are three main types of stuttering patterns that are reported in people.
Developmental: This is the most common type found in children younger than five years of age, particularly males. This type of stutter occurs as children develop their speech and language abilities and typically resolves without treatment.
Neurogenic: This type of stutter signals the presence of abnormalities between the brain and the nerves or muscles, causing the condition.
Psychogenic: This type of stutter originates in the part of the brain that administers thinking and reasoning.
Symptoms of stuttering
Stuttering is characterized by repeated sounds, words, or syllables, as well as disruptions in the normal rate of speech.
A stuttering individual may repeat the same consonants and may struggle to start a sentence or articulate certain sounds.
Stuttering may result in some of the following symptoms:
- physical changes like lip tremors, facial tics, excessive blinking, and facial and upper body tension
- trouble starting a word, phrase, or sentence
- refusing to speak
- frustration or anxiety when trying to communicate
- hesitation or pausing before speaking
- interjections of extra sounds or words such as “uh” or “um” into sentences
- repetition of phrases or words
- vocal tension
- rearrangement of words in a sentence
Certain situations and environments can increase a person’s chances of stuttering, such as when they are stressed, tired, excited, hurried, pressured, or feeling self-conscious. Public speaking, in particular, can be quite challenging for individuals who stutter.
Most people who stutter have been found to speak without struggling when conversing with themselves or speaking in unison with someone else.
Causes of stuttering
There are several possible causes of stuttering, including the following:
- family history
- family dynamics (stressful home environment)
- neurophysiology (abnormalities in speech motor control such as sensory, timing, or motor coordination)
- childhood development
Brain injuries from a stroke may result in neurogenic stuttering. Severe emotional trauma may result in psychogenic stuttering.
Stuttering may run in families due to an inherited abnormality in the part of the brain that controls language. If the parents stutter, there is a chance that the child may also stutter.
Diagnosing of stuttering
Stuttering can be diagnosed with the help of a speech-language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist observes the stuttering individual speaking in different situations to assess the degree of stutter. No invasive testing is needed to diagnose stuttering.
Treatment of stuttering
With an array of factors contributing to the condition and its widespread prevalence, the question must be asked: can stuttering be cured?
When it comes to treatment, the decision is made after a comprehensive evaluation is carried out by a speech-language pathologist. Several approaches are used for treatment purposes, depending on the individual needs to address different issues. While treatment may not eliminate stutters completely, it helps improve the person’s speech fluency, helps them learn effective communication, and enables them to outgrow their professional and social limitations.
Not all children with stutters require treatment. Developmental stutters resolve with growth and time.
Some commonly employed treatment modalities include the following:
Speech therapy:
Speech therapy helps the person slow down their speech and enables them to recognize their stuttering patterns. Speech therapy initially teaches people to deliberately speak very slowly and then pick up the pace into a more natural speaking pattern and speed. It helps the person govern their rate of speech, laryngeal tension, and breath support.
Electronic devices:
Various electronic devices are employed to enhance speech fluency.
Some devices required stuttering individuals to slow their speech, or the machine will make it sound distorted. Another device mimics the person's speech to make it sound like they are talking in unison with someone else. The speech-language pathologist chooses the device after assessing the person's individual needs.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy:
Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps the affected person identify their stuttering patterns and change ways that may make the stuttering worse. Cognitive-behavioral therapy also helps the person with any stress, anxiety, or self-esteem issues that may be stemming from their stutter.
Parent-children interaction:
Parent involvement is an integral component of the rehabilitation process. Practicing techniques at home with children helps them cope with the process better and feel less self-conscious.
Some medications have been tested to help stutters, but most drugs have proved to be ineffective. Recent research studies suggest that stuttering may largely result due to the hyperactivity of muscles affecting speech. Therefore, a medication that helps slow down hyperactivity may be able to help the cause.
Parting thoughts
It is common for children aged between 2 and 5 years to undergo periods of stuttering as for most children, it is a part of the speech-learning process. Stuttering that persists, however, requires professional help to improve speech fluency.
We suggest contacting a speech-language pathologist if the stuttering continues for more than six months, occurs with other speech issues, increases in frequency as the child ages, causes stress or anxiety, affects the person's ability to communicate in public, and onsets in adulthood.
Consult a professional to help find the best treatment and rehabilitation solution for you.
