Fluency Delay/Disorder

Stuttering

Stuttering occurs when the flow of speech is disrupted by repetition (d-d-dog), prolongation (dddog), and blocking (no sound) of sounds and syllables.  Approximately three million Americans stutter (1% of the population).  All children experience developmental stuttering as language develops.  This often includes repetitions of whole words and interjection of words such as “uh” and “um.” Twenty percent of children experience developmental stuttering severe enough for parents to be concerned.  Stuttering ranges in severity and can be a lifetime communication disorder.