Stuttering is a communication disorder that causes interruptions in a person’s ability to form the words and sentences necessary to verbally communicate with other people. More than 3 million Americans stutter, according to the Stuttering Foundation. 

It is normal for children to stutter between the ages of 2 and 5, and in most cases the condition resolves on its own over time. However, other people have stuttering problems that persist or worsen as they get older. In many cases, stuttering remains a lifelong problem. Without proper therapy, stuttering can significantly impair people’s ability to communicate and impact their quality of life.

Numerous factors are believed to contribute to stuttering, including genetics, developmental delays and other speech and language problems. Stuttering is much more likely to affect males than females.

Symptoms associated with stuttering include hesitation when speaking, repetition of words and stumbling when forming verbal thoughts and sentences. Unusual body movements and facial tics may also affect the person during speech. Parents who notice a persistent stuttering problem are often urged to bring the fact to a physician’s attention before the child’s third birthday.

Children who are believed to have a stuttering problem often are referred to a speech-language pathologist for further evaluation. The speech-language pathologist will observe the patient’s speech and look for patterns of dysfluencies that occur. Various assessments will also be performed to try to pinpoint the nature of the patient’s disorder.

There is no cure for stuttering. However, patients who undergo speech therapy can learn techniques that can help them overcome their difficulty and to speak normally and fluently. In addition, parents can play a significant role in helping their child to overcome a stuttering problem by offering support and encouragement.

Recently, tiny devices have been developed that fit behind a patient’s ear and provide audio (such as a playback of the patient’s own voice or “white noise”) that has been shown to help some patients who stutter to speak with more fluently. Research continues into how these devices work and how they may be improved.