• Stuttering

     

    •  Stuttering is a communication disorder in which the flow of speech is broken by repetitions (li-li-like this),
    • prolongation (lllllike this),
    • or abnormal stoppages or blockages (no sound) of sounds and syllables.
    • There may also be unusual facial and body movements when trying to speak.
    •  Stuttering is also known as stammering.

    Risk Factors  of Stuttering 

    • Family History (almost half of all children who stutter have a family member who does also);
    • children with other speech and language problems or developmental delays are more likely to stutter);
    • Age of Onset: Children who begin stuttering before age three and one half are more likely to out grow stuttering with in 6 months. 
    • Time  since onset: If your child has been stuttering longer than 6 months, he may be less likely to outgrow it on his own.
    • Gender: Girls are more likely than boys to outgrow stuttering.  3 to 4 boys continue to stutter for every girl who stutters. 
    • Stuttering may be a combination of these factors.
    Stuttering Facts
    • About 1% of the worlds Population Stutters
    • Stuttering affects four times as many males as females
    • Approximately 5 percent of all children go through a period of stuttering that lasts six months or more. This occurs between the ages of 2 and 5.
    •  The best prevention tool is early intervention.
    • Seek help from a speech language pathologist if you think you child is stuttering
    • there is no reason to believe that emotional trauma causes stuttering.
     
    Resources
    National Stuttering Association (NSA)- www.westutter.org
     
    Stuttering Foundation of America (SFA)- www.stutteringhelp.org