Psychology Facts

▼ Stutter / Stuttering ▼

》Stuttering is a speech disorder that disrupts the natural flow of speech, marked by repeating, pausing, or prolonging certain sounds and syllables. Individuals who stutter know what they want to say; the challenge lies in producing the physical sound.

》Common signs and symptoms associated with stuttering are: problems starting a word, phrase, or sentence; repeating a sound, word, or syllable; certain speech sounds may be prolonged; and speech may come out in spurts.

》The condition typically begins between 2 and 6 years old, but three-quarters of children who stutter eventually outgrow the condition.

》 The causes of stuttering are not fully understood but genetics play an essential role.

Researchers have identified several genetic mutations that occur in those who stutter, and the risk of stuttering is three times higher when a first-degree relative has the condition.

Differences in brain structure and function and family dynamics may also play a role.

》Neurophysiology may also be a trigger for stuttering, with ongoing research showing that people who stutter seem to process speech and language differently than those who don't.
Strokes and traumatic brain injuries can also contribute to stuttering.

》Experts can spot some differences in the brain area between people who stutter and people who don't while they're talking. People who stutter often appear to have slightly weaker connections between the brain areas responsible for hearing and for the movements that generate speech.

》Around 70 million people worldwide stutter, representing 1 percent of the global population.

》Stuttering is more common among males than females. In adults, the male-to-female ratio is about 4 to 1; in children, it is closer to 2 to 1.

》Stuttering can begin gradually and develop over time, or it can appear suddenly.

》Many famous actors, athletes, and musicians have dealt with stuttering. Marilyn Monroe, James Earl Jones, Emily Blunt, B.B. King, and Shaquille O'Neal are a few

》A variety of apps for smartphones and tablets have been designed to help with stuttering such as Balbus Speech, Fluently, Smarty Ears, and The Stammurai (created by other teens who stutter!)

》Most people who stutter when talking don't stutter when singing. The reason behind this is probably the fact that music is an activity in which the right side of the brain is used, while language uses the left.

》Stuttering does not determine a person's abilities or his/her future and each person who has been diagnosed with it deserves the same treatment as everybody else.