What is stuttering?

Stuttering looks different in each person and can even change over the course of a person’s lifetime. Stuttering during childhood is common with more than 1 in every 10 Australian preschool child stuttering.

While many of these children will recover from stuttering, approximately a third will persist with stuttering into the school years and adulthood. In fact, by adulthood, 1 in 100 people around the world stutter—that’s 70 million people!

There are 3 common key components to stuttering:

• Speech behaviours — characteristics of speech that you can see and hear. For example:

  • Sound repetitions (“Let’s ride in the c-c-car”)
  • Part word repetitions (“I want a ba-ba-banana”)
  • Whole word repetitions (“But-but-but I like that one”)
  • Phrase repetitions (“I want-I want to go to the park”)
  • Sound prolongations (“Hey, that’s mmmmmy toy”)
  • Blocks (“Let’s read a —– book”)
  • Secondary characteristics – other body movements produced when a person is stuttering. These can include excessive eye blinks, leg shaking, lots of tension in the throat, or many other characteristics.

Each person who stutters will produce different combinations of these speech behaviors and experience different degrees of difficulty speaking. It is also important to recognize that stuttering is much more than what we can see and hear.

• Impact on communication attitudes and emotions.

  • Some people who stutter are not bothered by their stuttering at all. Many others, however, struggle with shame, embarrassment, anxiety, or low self-esteem.

• Impact on everyday life.

  • Many people who stutter go to great lengths to try to hide their stuttering. As a result, they may avoid or struggle with many situations, such as ordering a meal at a restaurant, introducing themself, or reading aloud in class. Children who stutter may also face bullying or teasing at school because of the way that they talk.

What causes stuttering?

The exact cause of stuttering is still unknown. In recent years however, researchers have identified a genetic component to stuttering as well as subtle differences in the structure and function of the parts of the brain used for speech. Extensive research is still required to identify all of the genes involved in stuttering and to better understand how the brain functions in people who stutter.

It is important for everyone to know that stuttering is no one's fault......not the child's, not the parent's, no one is to blame. Stuttering is not caused by anything parents do. And the speech behaviors produced when a person stutters are involuntary, which means that they cannot always be controlled.

 

How should I act around someone who stutters?

Be yourself and give the person who stutters as much time as they need to speak.

Remember—the only difference between a person who stutters and a person who doesn’t stutter is that the person who stutters may need some extra time to say what they want to say.

Review our Listening Tips below for more thoughts on how to support people who stutter of all ages.

Can stuttering be cured?

There is no known “cure” for stuttering nor are there any known medications to treat stuttering.

However, speech therapy and support groups have been shown to help children and young people who stutter reduce the negative impact that stuttering can have on their lives. Young children (typically aged 2 ½ to 6) may recover naturally from stuttering as they approach the school years, while others will achieve reductions in stuttering through early intervention with a speech pathologist.

By the school years, the likelihood of a child recovering from stuttering (naturally or treatment facilitated) begins to decline. While some young people will still find speech therapy helpful to manage their stuttering as they get older others may find that support groups or other programs play a positive role in helping them to better understand their own speech. The most important thing to remember is that different people will find different strategies helpful for them.

 

What can I do to help my child who stutters?

You and your child are not alone. Although it may be scary or intimidating to learn about stuttering, it is important to know that there are many professionals who are able to help, and a community of families and people who stutter who are willing to share their stories.

Each young person has different needs when it comes to addressing stuttering. SAY: Australia offers a range of in-person and online programs and social hangs, to support young people who stutter to develop positive attitudes and emotions toward their own speech.

For further information about SAY: Australia’s programs contact Rich Stephens at rich@sayaustralia.org.au or 0401 723 461.