How to Stop Stuttering: Expert Advice for All Ages
Stuttering can impact people of all ages. According to the Stuttering Foundation of America, seventy million people worldwide stutter, and over three million people in the United States stutter.
Some children and adults who stutter avoid speaking situations because they feel self-conscious or insecure.
You or your child can learn how stuttering can be managed with the support of a speech therapist.
Key Takeaways:
What is Stuttering? Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by disruptions in the normal flow of speech, including blocks, repetitions, prolongations, and abnormal stoppages.
What Causes Stuttering? While the exact cause of stuttering remains unknown, research suggests a complex interplay of genetic, neurological, and environmental factors contribute to its development.
What are the Types of Stuttering? The three primary types are developmental stuttering, neurogenic stuttering, and psychogenic stuttering.
When to Contact a Speech-Language Pathologist: Seek professional help if stuttering persists beyond a few months in children, starts suddenly in adults, or if stuttering impacts quality of life.
Stammer vs. Stutter: What is the Difference?
What are the Types of Stuttering?
5 Ways Adults Can Control Stuttering
3 Tips to Help a Child with Stuttering
When to Contact a Speech-Language Pathologist
What is Stuttering?
Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by disruptions in the normal flow of speech. These disruptions can manifest in a few ways:
Blocks (silences): Also known as abnormal stoppages, the individual struggles to initiate a sound or syllable, creating a brief pause in their speech. Speech flow is abruptly halted, with no sound produced.
Repetitions: Sounds, syllables, or words are repeated involuntarily.
Prolongations: Sounds are drawn out for an abnormal length of time.
Secondary behaviors: These are physical or vocal reactions to stuttering, such as eye blinking, head jerking, or tension in the facial muscles. They often develop as attempts to escape or avoid stuttering moments.
Stuttering is a broader category of speech disfluency, sometimes referred to as stammering.
Stammer vs. Stutter: What is the Difference?
The words stutter and stammer are synonymous. Both terms describe disfluent speech or when the natural flow of speech is interrupted. The term “stammer” is used predominantly by British English speakers, whereas “stutter” is mainly used by American English speakers. Stutter has taken over stammer as the most commonly used term to describe disfluent speech.
What Causes Stuttering?
Why do people stutter in the first place? The exact cause of stuttering in adults and children remains a mystery. While research points to a complex interplay of factors, no single explanation has been definitively established.
Genetic predisposition, neurological differences in brain function (e.g., stroke, TBI, and Parkinson’s disease), and environmental influences are believed to contribute to the development of stuttering.
Additionally, psychological factors such as anxiety or stress can exacerbate stuttering symptoms. It's essential to note that stuttering is not caused by laziness, lack of intelligence, or personality flaws.
What are the Different Types of Stuttering?
Three primary forms exist:
1) Developmental Stuttering
In younger children, developmental stuttering is the most common. Stuttering begins as the child is developing language. Early treatment is beneficial.
2) Neurogenic Stuttering
Neurogenic stuttering can be caused by injury or disease to the central nervous system. Examples include stroke, head injury, tumors, and neurologic diseases.
3) Psychogenic Stuttering
This type is rare, and it's often seen in adults who have suffered severe emotional trauma, stress, or mental health issues.
5 Ways Adults Can Address Stuttering
1) Breathing Practice
Breathing is essential to speech; many people never learn to focus on breathing.
Learning how to use the diaphragm to support the voice properly can reduce tension in the chest and neck muscles that produce speech.
Relaxation breathing can help to:
Be in the present moment.
Reduce stress.
Clear the mind.
The benefits of taking deep breaths during meditation also apply to stuttering therapy. For some people, becoming more relaxed can help boost confidence, which may improve fluency.
Relaxation and deep breathing techniques:
Sit or lay down in a comfortable position.
Close your eyes and focus on taking a deep breath as you inhale and exhale.
Take a deep breath for 10 seconds. Breathe from the abdomen, letting it rise naturally.
Hold for a few seconds to allow oxygen to fill up your lungs.
Exhale slowly through the mouth, making a "whoosh" sound.
2) Slow It Down
If you stutter when speaking quickly and want to convey a thought, slowing down is one very effective method to improve control. Rushing can lead to increased stuttering moments. It may help to practice at a reduced rate alone in a quiet space.
3) Pause and Phrase
One powerful form of fluency shaping is to pause and phrase what you will say. The goal is often to lengthen your natural pauses and increase the number of breaks you have between words and phrases.
You can practice this technique while reading aloud, pausing in a natural spot every few words. The simple act of pausing before saying the next word can be used as an opportunity to plan or to regroup and allow the stuttering moment and related tension to pass.
4) Record Your Own Voice Talking or Reading
When you record your voice, you're able to:
Learn your speech patterns.
Study patterns and make adjustments.
Keep a recorded journal of your speech progression.
You can open your device and record yourself speaking to practice this therapy method. By hearing and analyzing your speech, you'll often find unconscious patterns that cause you to stutter.
5) Practice Your Speech Fluency
If you're self-conscious or embarrassed about your stuttering, practicing your speech may be the last thing on your mind. But when you sit down and practice, you're helping build strong connections in the brain so that the corrective actions you take actually "stick."
A few tips for how to improve speech fluency are:
Put yourself into situations where you're talking to another person or public speaking, and practice breathing and slowing down your speech.
Work with others to practice speaking together and keep each other accountable.
You can practice your speech when you read aloud or repeat after an audiobook. Practicing allows children and adults who stutter to create positive moments in their pronunciation to build on.
3 Tips to Help a Child with Stuttering
1) Provide Support
Speech therapy for children typically involves parental support. Parents should spend one-on-one time daily with their children and follow their lead during conversation or play.
Children have many words and thoughts, so avoid interrupting them and let them finish their sentences. Do not finish their sentences for them. When you observe that the child stutters and struggles to speak, try asking closed-ended questions (questions that require a yes or no response).
Encourage your child to express their thoughts and feelings about stuttering and motivate them to express self-confidence and positive self-talk.
2) Teach Children to Slow Down Their Speech
Parents can show children how to make technical changes in their speech sounds to reduce stuttering. A speech therapist can select specific techniques to help your child improve their fluency if evidence-based and appropriate for their age and abilities.
One approach that can often help is modeling a physically relaxed and slower rate of speech. Parents can show their children how to reduce their speech rate by conversing with them slowly and comfortably. The goal is that the child will see that the parent's speech is free of anxiety, tension, and struggle and model this behavior.
3) Stay Positive
Parents should model objective and calm responses to their child's stuttered speech and show them that they accept their child's level of stuttering. For example, parents can say something like, "That was a bit hard to say, but it's okay!" This response also shows the child that their problem is not permanent and lets them understand there is room for growth and improvement.
Stuttering is not anyone's fault. Parents should realize that stuttering does not stem from laziness, stubbornness, selfishness, carelessness, etc. Everyone who stutters knows this stuff already, so parents do not need to point it out. For example, saying, "You could say it if you tried harder," will not help your child feel better about themselves.
Parents should let their children know that stuttering is frustrating, but do not let the child get so caught up in negative emotions that it affects their speech. If you are upset with your child for stuttering, your child may be too afraid to speak around you or will not want to talk at all. Praising your child for their calmness and ability to communicate well despite the stuttering will help them feel empowered.
When to Contact a Speech-Language Pathologist
When seeking help for stuttering or other fluency issues, look for a speech therapist specializing in fluency disorders. Specialists in this field are trained to address the unique challenges associated with stuttering and can provide targeted strategies and therapies to help improve fluency and communication confidence.
Several signs should be considered when deciding whether or not to get an evaluation.
For Children:
If your child's stuttering worsens over time and continues longer than a few months.
If your child is consistently stuttering after the age of three.
If you notice your child avoiding social situations or talking with other people.
For Adults:
If the stutter begins after an acute neurological episode, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
If your stuttering causes you anxiety or other emotional difficulties, such as fear or avoidance of speaking situations.
If you can't overcome your stutter on your own and, it impacts your quality of life.
Other Resources to Consider
Electronic Devices
Many technological solutions are available to help individuals improve their fluency and reduce their stutter. Some apps and software help people slow down their speech by assisting them. Others simulate speech so that it appears the speaker is speaking in sync with someone else.
Support Groups
Many individuals find that connecting with others who stutter is beneficial. Self-help organizations provide individuals with more resources and support. Joining groups on social media sites can be a helpful practice.
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Stop Stuttering
1. Can stuttering be cured?
Stuttering cannot be "cured" in the traditional sense, but it can be effectively managed with the right strategies and by participating in speech therapy. Many people who stutter can improve fluency and communication skills through speech therapy and consistent practice.
2. Does stuttering go away naturally?
In some cases, especially in very young children, stuttering may go away naturally as they develop their language skills. However, if stuttering persists for over a few months or worsens over time, professional intervention is recommended to prevent it from becoming a long-term issue.
3. What exercises are good for stuttering?
Effective exercises for managing stuttering include:
Breathing Exercises: Practicing deep breathing techniques helps to relax and control speech.
Slow Speech Practice: Intentionally slowing down speech can help reduce stuttering occurrences.
Pause and Phrase: Incorporating deliberate pauses between phrases to reduce tension and plan speech.
Voice Recording: Recording and listening to one's own speech to identify patterns and areas for improvement.
Fluency Shaping Techniques: Working on smooth, controlled speech patterns through guided practice, often with the help of a speech therapist.
Online Speech Therapy - Connected Speech Pathology
Speech therapy involves working with a licensed speech-language pathologist who can provide a stuttering treatment program to improve fluency. Therapy sessions can help raise awareness of stuttering moments, reduce disfluency, and treat many secondary behaviors.
At Connected Speech Pathology, we're certified experts who offer online, individualized therapy for speech and language disorders.
We approach our younger clients differently than older children and adults.
Speech therapy for children will be fun, and we will collaborate with the child's caregivers to get the most out of the treatment.
For teenagers and adults, fluency therapy aims to improve fluency of speech. Our speech-language pathologists can help you relax and speak more freely in school, work, and social settings. We also assist those who stutter in speaking situations that cause anxiety, such as making a phone call or ordering food in a restaurant.
Let us know if you or your loved one wants to learn how to manage your stuttering from a speech-language pathologist! Our highly experienced speech-language pathologists will perform a comprehensive assessment and create a clear and effective fluency treatment plan specifically for you.
Summary
Stuttering affects millions globally, but effective management is possible through understanding, strategies, and speech therapy. Recognizing the disorder's nature, causes, and types is crucial. With the proper support, both children and adults can improve fluency and confidence.
If your stuttering impacts your quality of life, professional help from a speech-language pathologist is recommended. Online and traditional speech therapies offer valuable resources to enhance communication skills. Reach out to a speech-language pathologist today to start improving fluency and speech.
About the Author
Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.
Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.
Do you have questions or want to learn more about our program? Set up a free phone consultation with our lead speech-language pathologist.
