Stuttering is a disorder that affects the normal flow and pattern of speech. Another word for stuttering, or disrupted speech, is disfluency. These disruptions in speech production can occur on sounds, syllables, or words. Common types of disfluencies include repetitions (“M-MM- Mom”), prolongations (“MMMMom”), and blocks (“M— om”). In addition to disfluencies in speech, many individuals display struggling behaviors or avoidance behaviors to help them get through the stuttering moment. These physical characteristics are secondary behaviors of stuttering.

In order to try to prevent disfluent moments, or to break out of them once they have already begun, individuals who stutter may show different physical behaviors. Some physical features may include eye blinking, leg tapping, head jerking, throat clearing, etc. You may notice an individual demonstrating these behaviors in more stressful situations, such as when they fear a word because it is hard to say or because that word is a “trigger” for the stuttering.

Fear of sounds, words, people, or speaking situations can cause a person who stutters to use avoidance or escape behaviors. For example, to prevent stuttering, a person might talk around the desired word (circumlocution), substitute a different word, delay a comment, interject starter sounds and words (“um,” “ah,” “you know”), cover the mouth, avoid eye contact, refuse to speak, or use vocal abnormalities (speaking rapidly, in a whisper, slowly, in a monotone voice, or with an accent).

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a trained professional who can assess, diagnose, and treat stuttering. The SLP will look at many factors, including family history, the type and frequency of the disfluencies, secondary behaviors and triggers, and any other speech/language concerns. If intervention is recommended at that time, an individualized treatment plan will be put into place.