What is stammering?

Stammering is a breakdown in the coordination of all the processes required for speech. Stammering is a complex phenomenon. The characteristics vary from person to person. The most common characteristics are repetition, prolongation and blocking of words.

What causes stammering?

A number of theories have been developed to explain the causes of stammering. The main theories are:

• Learning theories, in which stammering is said to be rewarded.
• Theories that look at stammering in relation to the type of word, the length of a sentence and the place of a stammer in a sentence.
• Psychological theories: In these theories stammering is viewed as an expression of anxiety. Although not proven, stammering is known to involve psychological factors.
• Organic theories: Here stammering is thought to be caused by a disruption in hearing one’s own voice.

How often does stammering occur?

One percent of the total population experiences stammering. Approximately 5% of all young children stammer. Of this 5%, one-third have a serious stammer, requiring extensive forms of stammer therapy.

What effect does stammering have on a stammerer and his/her environment?

Someone who stammers experiences certain limitations in his/her life. These can vary from speech anxiety, avoiding social contact, depression and feelings of inferiority.

What therapies are available to a stammerer?

Usually, anyone who has a serious stammer is given therapy to try to eliminate it. This includes logopaedics, medication, speech therapy, Dell Ferro, etc. The success rate of these therapies varies.

What if existing therapies are not successful?

Many people who stammer reach a point during therapy where a solution seems unlikely. These people keep running into the existing problems of their stammer. SpeechEasy can provide a solution for these people.