Stuttering

Stuttering is a speech disorder characterised by interruptions, unplanned breaks, repetitions, and prolonging sounds and/or words while communicating. Individuals who stutter may appear and sound like they are having difficulty speaking.

Stuttering usually starts in children between 2 to 6 years of age. It can have a sudden or gradual onset and can present as mild through to very severe. Stuttering can be unpredictable. Unfortunately, it is impossible to know whose stuttering will resolve permanently and when that might happen. To minimise long term communication difficulties, the current recommendation is to seek support from a Speech Therapist as early as possible.

Factors contributing to the epidemiology of stuttering include:

• Gender (boys are more commonly affected)

• Age of onset (3 ½ years old or later)

• Family history of stuttering

Signs and Symptoms

• Repeating sounds, words and phrases

• Adding in filler words/interjections e.g. um, and

• Prolonging sounds

• Stopping/pausing part way through a sentence

• Changing the words in a sentences

• Excessive eye blinking, repeated facial movements or other tic like behaviours

• Words feeling stuck

• Finding it difficult to get words out

• Increase in stuttering with fatigue or increased anxiety

• Stuttering has lasted for 6-12 months or more

• Stuttering behaviours become more frequent

• Avoidance of situations that require talking

How can we help?
A speech pathologist can assess the individual’s stuttering in different situations. Treatment will depend on the severity of the stuttering, the age of the individual and the impact on the individual’s everyday life. Recreating social situations aimed at addressing anxiety and/or fear such as participating in ordering food, public speaking, giving presentations or engaging in conversations with unfamiliar individuals.

Stuttering therapy can include direct strategies (facilitate changes to speech patterns) or indirect strategies (alternative or easier ways to talk). The therapist may introduce compensatory strategies on managing stuttering based on the assessment findings.