What Is Stuttering? Types, Causes, & Treatment for Kids and Adults

Stuttering is a speech fluency disorder characterized by repetitions, prolongations, or blocks that interrupt the normal flow of speech.

Whether you’re a parent of a child who stutters, or an adult seeking support, we’ve put together this expert guide to answer your questions. Learn why people stutter, what the different types of stuttering sound like, and how stuttering can be treated and managed.

Key takeaways

• Stuttering is a speech fluency disorder that disrupts the natural flow of speech.

• Common signs of stuttering are repetitions (repeating a word, syllable, or sound), prolongations (prolonging a sound for a long period of time), and blocks (in which no sound comes out).

• The 3 main types of stuttering are developmental stuttering (the most common type in children), neurogenic stuttering (can happen after a stroke or brain injury), and psychogenic stuttering (more rare; may occur after emotional trauma).

• The causes of stuttering are still unclear, but researchers believe that genetics, motor planning issues, or language processing problems are often involved.

• Speech therapy for stuttering helps kids and adults learn to speak more freely and smoothly, advocate for themselves, and feel more confident when communicating.

Support for children who stutter

Speech therapy helps kids who stutter boost their confidence and speak more freely. Find the right therapist for your child at Expressable.

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What is stuttering?

Stuttering, sometimes called stammering or disfluency, is a communication disorder that disrupts the natural flow of speech. Stuttering can begin gradually and develop over time, or it can appear suddenly.

Every person is different, and the symptoms of stuttering can vary quite a bit. However, here are some of the most common signs of stuttering:

• Repetitions: Repetitions are a type of disfluency where a word, syllable, or sound is repeated more than three times. Example: “I w-w-w-w-w-want to go to the store.”

• Prolongations: Prolongations are a type of disfluency where a sound is prolonged or held for an abnormally long period of time. Example: “I fffffffffffffound a penny.”

• Blocks: When a block occurs, no sound is made in the mouth or throat. The parts of the mouth are stuck in one position and unable to continue to move for a period of time. Example: “I w-----------ant to go to the park.”

Other signs of stuttering may include:

• Routinely using interjections when speaking, such as “um” or “like,” that disrupt the flow of speech

• Talking slowly

• Taking a lot of pauses when speaking

• Routinely being out of breath when talking

• Fast eye blinking, trembling, or shaking lips when speaking

• Increased speech problems when tired, excited, or under stress

• Being afraid or nervous to talk

Is stuttering a disability?

There are still many misconceptions about stuttering. Stuttering is not a psychological disorder, mental disorder, or learning disability. Stuttering is a difference in verbal communication. It is a form of verbal diversity. A stutter is a part of a person, just like the color of their eyes. 

However, stuttering can qualify as a disability. This means the person who stutters can receive accommodations and support in school or at work. In order for a person to receive these services, they will likely need a fluency disorder diagnosis.

Stuttering statistics: How common is it?

According to the Stuttering Foundation, over 3 million people in the United States stutter.

About 5% of all children go through a period of stuttering that lasts six months or more. As many as 75% of those children will recover by late childhood. Those who continue to stutter into school-age years are likely to have a more serious problem and continue to stutter in some way throughout their lives. 

In adults, approximately 2% of the population between the ages of 21 and 49 stutters. Less than 2% of adults ages 50 and over stutters.

Stuttering is much more common in males than females, with males being about four times more likely to have stuttering issues.

The 3 main types of stuttering

There are three types of stuttering:

Developmental stuttering

This is the most common type of stuttering in children. It usually happens between the ages of 2 and 5. Developmental stuttering most often occurs when children's speech and language abilities are unable to meet their verbal demands.

Neurogenic stuttering

Neurogenic stuttering may happen after a stroke or brain injury. It's caused by signal problems between the brain and the nerves and muscles involved in speech.

Psychogenic stuttering

Psychogenic stuttering is not common. It may happen after emotional trauma, or it can accompany problems with thinking or reasoning.

Stuttering vs. stammering vs. cluttering

"Stammering" is another term for "stuttering." They both refer to the same speech fluency disorder. "Stammer" is commonly used in British English, and "stutter" is mainly used in American English.

Cluttering is a different type of fluency disorder that causes rapid, unclear, or disorganized speech. Cluttering affects articulation, language, voice, and fluency, while stuttering affects only speech fluency. Cluttering can exist along with stuttering, or it can be present on its own.

What causes stuttering?

Unfortunately, researchers do not yet know exactly why people stutter. However, many experts believe there are several risk factors that can cause a stutter. If any of these situations apply to you, it’s important to talk with a doctor or speech-language pathologist.

Genetics and family history

Research has shown that there is likely some kind of genetic relation to stuttering. Case histories demonstrate that many people who stutter also have family members who stutter. However, the National Stuttering Association has stated that there doesn't seem to be a link between the severity of stuttering in family members. 

In other words, a person may be more likely to stutter if they have family members who stutter. Yet each family member may have different levels of severity.

Motor planning and brain function

Those who stutter may have differences in speech-motor control, such as coordination and timing. Abnormalities in these areas can result in stuttering.

According to the National Stuttering Association, brain imaging studies have also shown that those who stutter have more right brain activity than left brain activity. Language is processed and planned in the left hemisphere. Less activity in the left brain may negatively impact a person’s speech fluency.

Language processing

There is research to suggest that stuttering could be connected to language processing and word retrieval, or finding the words we want to say. People who don't stutter have shown better abilities in receptive language, which means how we understand the words spoken to us, as well as word retrieval. Those who stutter have shown more problems tied to word finding. If a person has a hard time finding the words they want to use, it could increase their likelihood of stuttering, as their speech stalls and they feel pressured to talk.

Communication environment and emotions

It's not uncommon for those who stutter to have a tough time speaking in an environment that's tense or emotional. Likewise, some people may find that they stutter more often around people with certain personalities.

Because of heightened emotion or anxiety, breathing can sometimes become more shallow or inconsistent. The vocal tract, lips, and tongue may also have more tension, which can contribute to stuttering.

Late or adult-onset stuttering

This often occurs when stuttering symptoms appear later in life and are not attributed to a speech-motor or neurological issue. Sudden stuttering in adults can be caused by a stroke, tumor, or trauma.

Ada's story

After sudden stuttering took over Ada's speech, online speech therapy helped her regain her confidence and say what she wanted to say.

Read Ada's story

Read Ada's story

Stuttering in children

Stuttering usually begins in toddlers or preschoolers between the ages of 2 and 5. As with most speech issues, the earlier speech therapy begins, the better! Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about your child's stuttering. In many cases, your doctor may refer you to a speech therapist to evaluate your child’s speech. Signs that you should seek a speech evaluation include:

• Your child’s stuttering is getting worse over time

• They make body or facial movements when speaking, called secondary stuttering behaviors

• Their speech is especially strained

• Your child is actively avoiding situations that require talking

• Stuttering continues after your child has turned 5 years old

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Stuttering in adults

Adults who stutter may have had persistent developmental stuttering since they were a child. Other adults may develop sudden stuttering later in life due to a stroke or other trauma.

It’s never too late to benefit from stuttering therapy. Adults who want to fix a stutter should speak with their doctor or a speech therapist. Often, learning to manage stuttering is a lifelong process. The best treatment for stuttering usually focuses on:

• Teaching techniques to manage a stutter and achieve greater ease of speech

• Reducing avoidance behaviors, in which the person avoids certain situations for fear of stuttering

• Helping the person become a strong and confident communicator, however that looks and sounds for them as an individual 

• Supporting the person in advocating for themselves and being open about their stutter

Success Stories

Self-Reflection Leads to Smoother Speech for Adult Who Stutters

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Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP

How is stuttering diagnosed?

Despite breakthroughs in our understanding of stuttering, there is still no therapy, device, or drug that can “cure” stuttering. However, early treatment can prevent stuttering from continuing into adulthood. Stuttering treatment for children will depend on the child's symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on the severity of the condition. 

To diagnose stuttering, your doctor may ask questions about your family history with stuttering and review your child's symptoms. In many cases, they will refer you to a speech therapist. 

Your speech therapist will evaluate your child’s speech, choosing from a variety of standardized or norm-referenced tests. A stuttering assessment may include a conversational speech sample, structured speech sample, reading sample, percent-syllables-stuttered analysis, and social-emotional questionnaire.

The speech therapist will also ask questions about your child’s medical background and how they communicate at home. The evaluation results will be used to develop a personalized care plan for your child, which typically includes two therapy sessions per week.

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How Is Stuttering Recognized and Diagnosed?

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Can stuttering be treated?

Many people who stutter want support with: 

• Repeating sounds or words

• Using "um" or "like" frequently

• Speech that doesn't seem to flow

• Poor breath support when speaking

• Being afraid to speak in certain situations

It's important to know that speech therapy doesn’t aim to fix or cure a stutter. The goal of stuttering therapy is to help children and adults manage their stutter, speak with greater ease, and feel confident when they communicate. 

In stuttering therapy, people can learn ways to help manage or control their stutter. As a result, their stutter may decrease. But even if it doesn’t, speech therapy helps the person feel empowered to speak freely, in all kinds of situations. It also teaches parents and caregivers how to support their child who stutters.

Support for people who stutter

Speech therapy can build your confidence and help you speak more freely. Find the right speech therapist for the support you need.

Get started

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Speech therapy for stuttering

Your speech therapist will introduce a variety of stuttering techniques to see which work best and feel most natural. Common strategies to stop a stutter might include:

• Light articulatory contact

• Easy onsets

• Pausing and chunking

• Role-playing

• Grounding and breathing techniques

If your child stutters, your speech therapist will develop an individualized treatment plan to help them speak more smoothly and learn to cope with their stutter. Stuttering therapy for children should include caregiver education, helping you learn how to support your child at home.

For older children, teens, and adults, treatment focuses on managing stuttering. A speech therapist will help you feel less tense and speak more freely in school, at work, and socially. Stuttering therapy can focus on counseling, reducing avoidance behaviors, and learning to advocate for yourself. These strategies can help people in situations that make them anxious or uncomfortable.

Research has shown that online speech therapy works just as well as in-person therapy for stuttering. Not only is it convenient and comfortable to attend sessions from home, online speech therapy makes it easier for parents and caregivers to be involved.

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Other therapies and treatments for stuttering

In addition to speech therapy, other treatments that may help stop stuttering include: 

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): CBT helps adults cope with their communication disorder in order to lessen the impact and burden it has on their quality of life.

• Electronic devices: Electronic devices sit in a person’s ear and are intended to help improve the fluency of their stutter. One example is an Altered Auditory Feedback (AAF) device. Research has shown that some people who stutter benefit from extending the time between speech and auditory perception. These devices allow the person to hear their own voice with a slight time delay, creating the illusion of another person speaking at the same time.

• Support groups: You are not alone, and support groups are a great way to meet other people who stutter. Support groups can help you build self-confidence, practice speaking in a safe and accepting environment, and explore new ways to cope with stuttering

Living with stuttering

Stuttering can have a major impact on a person's daily life. When people stutter, they may feel anxious or uncomfortable about speaking. They may be less active or involved in the classroom or at work, avoid social interactions, and worry that they’ll be teased. As a result, people who stutter may be stereotyped as being shy, self-conscious, or lacking confidence. 

This is why speech therapy for stuttering is so important. Stuttering therapy can show you or your child techniques to speak more smoothly. But just as important, you'll learn to feel less tense and speak more freely in school, at work, and socially. Therapy can help people in situations that make them nervous or uncomfortable, such as talking on the phone, interviewing for a job, or ordering food at a restaurant.

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How to Talk with Someone Who Stutters

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Tips for supporting your child who stutters

One of the best tools children have to manage their stuttering is their family. While your child's speech therapist will have specific recommendations, here are some general tips to help your child at home:

• Find opportunities to speak with your child that are fun and relaxing. Putting pressure on your child can increase their stuttering.

• Try not to react negatively or insist on correct speech when your child stutters.

• When your child is struggling to say a word or sentence, let them finish without saying it for them.

• Avoid saying things like "take a deep breath" or "slow down." You may mean well, but this can actually make your child more self-conscious.

• Model a slow, relaxed way of speaking. This will help your child slow down their own speech.

• If your child is in school, educate their teachers to help them provide a classroom environment that’s safe and accepting.

Joseph's story

Discover how Joseph, a preteen who stutters, transformed his speech, confidence, and sense of control.

Read Joseph's story

Read Joseph's story

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Speech therapy helps people who stutter speak more smoothly and freely. Find the right speech therapist for you or your child at Expressable. Start our simple sign-up here!