Stuttering and stammering

What is stammering?
Stammering is "characterised by stoppages and disruptions in fluency which interrupt the smooth flow and timing of speech. These stoppages may take the form of repetitions of sounds, syllables or words, or of prolongations of sounds so that words seem to be stretched out, and can involve silent blocking of the airflow of speech when no sound is heard" (Enderby, 1996). Speech may sound forced, tense or jerky. People who stammer may avoid certain words or situations which they know will cause them difficulty. Some people avoid and substitute words to such an extent that people in their lives may not realise they have a stammer. This is known as "covert stammering".

How does stammering affect people?
Stammering affects people in different ways and can vary according to the situation in which the person finds themselves: to whom the person is talking; how they are feeling about themselves and their speech; and what they want to say. Stammering can vary from adult to adult and child to child in its manner, frequency and severity.

Stammering is not simply a speech difficulty but is a serious communication problem. For the child or adult who stammers it can undermine their confidence and self-esteem, and affect their interactions with others as well as their education and employment prospects.

What is the difference between stuttering and stammering?
They are the same thing, the terminology means the same.

Facts about stammering
Stuttering occurs more often in males than females, about 3:1.

The incidence of stuttering is reported to be between 5-10%.

Stuttering is not a symptom of emotional or mental problems.

Stuttering may be a source of stress and cause emotional difficulties.

Stutterers are not less intelligent than normal speakers; they are of normal intelligence.

Stuttering is not learned by imitating others who stutter.



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