What is stuttering?
Stuttering can affect verbal communication with repetitions and prolonging of sounds, and sometimes with speech being blocked. It often runs in families because of genetics. Speech involves around a hundred muscles that need to coordinate quickly, and for those who stutter, that coordination does not happen as well as it should. Stuttering typically begins early in life, mostly when children are 2 or 3 years old, when they reach a certain stage of language development. If stuttering continues into the school years, it can begin to cause educational disadvantage. Most occupations involve verbal communication, and adults who stutter may not realise their full career potential. If stuttering continues past the pre-school years, thoughts and feelings about speech can develop, and teenagers and adults who stutter often experience social anxiety.

​

The onset of stuttering
A recent study that followed a group of Australian infants found that by three years of age 8% of them had begun to stutter, and 12% of them had begun by four years of age. Onset typically occurs as children are starting to put words together into short sentences. The onset of stuttering can be gradual or sudden, and can be mild to severe. 

In many cases, the first sign of stuttering is the child repeating syllables such as "I… I… I… I… want…" or "Where… where… where….. where is… ?" Stuttering may change soon after it begins, with what seem to be a speech block as the child attempts to start a word, such as in "…………………can I have a drink." Soon after onset, sounds may be prolonged, such as in "wwwwwwwwhere is my drink?” Often, as stuttering develops, children show signs of effort and struggle while speaking.

​

When is the best time for early intervention?

Clinical trials have shown that treatment before 6 years of age provides the best results. However, clinical trials also show that early intervention methods may, to some extent, be effective from 7–12 years of age, but this is not as certain.

​

Can stuttering be cured?

As genetics is involved in stuttering it is not really right to think about a cure. It is better to think about effective intervention, and that certainly is possible. Clinical trials are showing that early intervention with the right treatment is successful, with an excellent chance that stuttering will not return. Treatment later in life is a different matter. Clinical trials have shown that teenagers and adults who stutter can learn to control stuttering if they want to, and that anxiety about speaking can be managed. But it is much simpler and more effective to have treatment during the pre-school years.

​

Stuttering and social anxiety

Anxiety does not cause stuttering; stuttering can make people anxious. And anxiety can make stuttering worse, which can then make the anxiety worse. So this can become a really negative cycle of events.

​

Natural recovery during childhood
Natural recovery from childhood stuttering, without therapy, occurs often. However, it is not possible to say whether an individual child will recover naturally or will require therapy. We recommend that all children who begin to stutter during the pre-school years should receive therapy. This is because if a child stutters for some years it can affect quality of life, even if natural recovery does eventually occur without therapy. 

​

Is stuttering caused by a physical problem with the brain?
At present, research shows that stuttering involves a physical issue with speech coordination. Stuttering is a physical problem, not a psychological problem as was once thought.

​

Are there any drugs to help with stuttering?
Currently, there are no drugs that can provide effective help with stuttering.