Signs
- Repeating sounds or syllables (“b-b-ball”)
- Stretching a sound out longer than expected
- Blocks, where the mouth is ready but no sound comes out
- Tension while talking, or avoiding words and speaking
Stuttering or cluttering?
Cluttering is a different fluency difference that is sometimes mistaken for stuttering. The two can also occur together, so an evaluation helps tell them apart.
- Stuttering
- Speech gets stuck. Sounds or syllables repeat or stretch, or a word blocks, and the person usually knows what they want to say and often feels tension.
- Cluttering
- Speech sounds too fast, uneven or jumbled, with words and syllables running together, so it can be hard to follow. People who clutter are often less aware of it.
When to get an evaluation
Consider one if stuttering lasts more than a few months, runs in the family, is getting worse, or upsets your child. An evaluation shows what is going on and what support, if any, would help, so there is no need to wait and see.
Adults who stutter
Stuttering often continues into adulthood, and adults seek therapy at many different points in life. Therapy is individualized and treats stuttering as more than a speech pattern. It addresses how speech is produced, and also the thoughts, feelings and avoidance that can develop around speaking. Depending on your goals, therapy may include:
- Managing moments of stuttering with less tension and struggle
- Gradual, supported exposure to feared words and speaking situations, to reduce avoidance and anxiety
- Building confidence in the communication you need, such as meetings, interviews, presentations and phone calls
- Self-advocacy, including whether and how to tell others that you stutter
- Connecting with support groups and the wider stuttering community
Goals are set together with you. Success is defined as confident, effective communication, and is not limited to fluent speech.