Stammering
What is Stammering?
Stammering is a way of talking that can involve repeating, lengthening or get stuck on sounds or words.
The experience of stammering may feel like losing control and not being able to move forwards with talking. Stammering often includes hidden feelings of shame and embarrassment which may develop from encountering negative reactions from others. People may avoid saying or doing things or try to hide their stammer to avoid judgement.
Stammering can vary day to day and over time. It may be affected by tiredness, stress and speaking in more challenging situations, such as in front of a group or on the telephone.
What Causes Stammering?
There are neurological differences in how the brain produces speech in people who stammer. Stammering is not caused by anxiety but people may worry about talking due to others' negative reactions to their stammer and this can contribute to making the stammer more pronounced.
There are a number of factors thought to be involved in the development of a stammer. About 60% of people who stammer have a relative who stammers. This may reflect a genetic link as well as the involvement of environmental factors. Stammering usually starts in childhood, affecting 8% of children and up to 2% of adults.
Sometimes stammering starts as an adult, referred to as ‘acquired stammering’, and can be due to a neurological illness (such as a Stroke, Parkinson’s or MS) or with a ‘Functional’ neurological condition. It can also be a symptom of Long Covid as well as occur with some medications or in response to stress or trauma.
Stammering Pride
There is a growing movement aimed at changing views about stammering. Some people who stammer feel proud that stammering is part of their identity and want it to be celebrated and not hidden away. The hope is to create a society that is more accepting of diversity in communication and sees stammering as a valid way of talking. This movement has created the Stammering Pride flag.
Whatever your perspective on your stammer and wherever you are in your own journey, I’m here to help and work with you on your individual goals.
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Contact Nicola