Overview of Stuttering/Stammering - Types, Causes and Treatment

"Stuttering" is the same as "stammering". "Stuttering" is usual in the United States while "Stammering" is more often used in Britain .

Stuttering or Stammering is a speech disorder in which a person does not speak smoothly. A person with a stutter (or stammer) may also stop and repeat the occasional and long time during speech and make no sound for certain syllables. Stuttering can change from day to day. You may have times when you are fluent and times when you stutter more. Stress or excitement can lead to more stuttering. 

This speech disorder is common in children when they are learning to speak and it is an estimated five times more common in boys than girls, if a child starts stuttering after the ages of 8-10, then the chances of stuttering will be increased continue into adulthood. 

Types of stuttering or stammering

Stuttering or stammering are characterized into three types:

• Psychogenic. The main reasons for long-term stuttering were psychogenic. Psychological factors may make stuttering worse for people who already stutter.
• Developmental. The children between 2-6 years old, generally in males, this type occurs as they developed their speech and language abilities. It usually resolves without treatment
• Neurogenic. The signal abnormalities between the brain and nerves or muscles are not working properly, They affect the children and can also affect adults after a stroke or some brain injury. Causes of Neurogenic are as following:
• Stroke
• Head trauma
• Ischemic attacks
• Tumors

Causes of stuttering or stammering 

Stuttering starts between 2 and 6 old. Many children go through normal periods of disfluency lasting less than 6 months. It isn't possible to say for sure why a particular

A child starts stuttering, but it isn't caused by anything the parents have done. Generally, it runs into blood relations because of an inherited abnormality in the part of the brain that governs language, if someone or his/her parents stuttered than child also stutter.

In most of the cases, brain injuries lead to strokes which unfortunately causes neurogenic stuttering, although in some of the cases emotional trauma also leads to psychogenic stuttering.

There is no one cause of stuttering, some possible causes include the following : 

• A family history of stuttering
• Family dynamics
• Neurophysiology
• Development during childhood

Symptoms of Stuttering or Stammering

This is characterized by some sign:

• repeated words, sounds, or syllables
• Halting speech production
• Uneven rate of speech

For example, a person repeated some consonant, like”s”,”f”. They may have difficulty uttering sounds or starting a sentence.

Sometimes people start stuttering due to stress may show up in the following symptoms:

The physical changes occur like a facial tic, lip tremors.

• A person get frustrated when he/she is attempting to communicate with anyone
• A person starts to hesitate or pause before speak
• Refusal to speak
• The tension in the voice

Diagnosis of stuttering or stammering

A speech-language pathologist (s) can help diagnose stuttering. Typically, while talking with a speech-language pathologist can evaluate the degree to which you or your child stutter.

Treatment stuttering or stammering

There are different types of speech therapy approaches that can help the stutter speak more easily. We will work with a therapist to come up with a suitable plan tailored to you and your child. There are some steps get involve as follows:

• Creating an environment where your child feels more relaxed and confident about talking
• Strategies to increase fluency and develop communication skills
• Working on feelings associated with stammering, such as fear and anxiety

Parents will also use therapeutic techniques to help their child feel self-conscious about it. Listening patiently is more imported, as setting aside the time for talk.