(stutter) A speech disorder characterized by frequent sound or syllable repetitions, sound prolongations, or other dysfluencies that are inappropriate for the individual's age.

A disturbance in the normal fluency and time patterning of speech that is inappropriate for the individual's age. This disturbance is characterized by frequent repetitions or prolongations of sounds or syllables. Various other types of speech dysfluencies may also be involved including interjections, broken words, audible or silent blocking, circumlocutions, words produced with an excess of physical tension, and monosyllabic whole word repetitions. Stuttering may occur as a developmental condition in childhood or as an acquired disorder which may be associated with BRAIN INFARCTIONS and other BRAIN DISEASES. (From DSM-IV, 1994)

Disorder in which speech is involuntarily interrupted by hesitations, repetitions, and spasms of the muscles involved in breathing or vocalization.

Disruptions in the production of speech sounds, with involuntary repetitions of words or parts of words, prolongations of speech sounds, or complete blockage of speech production for several seconds.

Stuttering is a speech disorder. It involves interruptions in the flow of speech. These interruptions are called disfluencies. They may involve: Repeating sounds, syllables, or words; Stretching out a sound; Suddenly stopping in the middle of a syllable or word. Sometimes, along with the stuttering, there may be nodding, rapid blinking, or trembling lips. The stuttering may be worse when you are stressed, excited, or tired. Stuttering can be frustrating, because you know exactly what you want to say, but you have trouble saying it. It can make it difficult to communicate with people. This can cause problems with school, work, and relationships. There are two main types of stuttering, and they have different causes: Developmental stuttering is the more common type. It starts in young children while they are still learning speech and language skills. Many children stutter when they first start talking. Most of them will outgrow it. But some continue to stutter, and the exact cause is unknown. There are differences in the brains of people who continue to stutter. Genetics may also play a role, since this type of stuttering can run in families.; Neurogenic stuttering can happen after someone has a stroke, head trauma, or other type of brain injury. Because of the injury, the brain has trouble coordinating the different parts of the brain involved in speech. Stuttering can affect anyone, but it is much more common in boys than girls. Younger children are most likely to stutter. About 75% of children who stutter will get better. For the rest, stuttering can continue their whole lives. Stuttering is usually diagnosed by a speech-language pathologist. This is a health professional who is trained to test and treat people with voice, speech, and language disorders. If you or your child stutters, your regular health care provider may give you a referral to a speech-language pathologist. Or in some cases, a child's teacher may make a referral. To make a diagnosis, the speech-language pathologist will: Look at the case history, such as when the stuttering was first noticed, how often it happens, and in what situations it happens; Listen to you or your child speak and analyze the stuttering; Evaluate you or your child's speech and language abilities, including the ability to understand and use language; Ask about the impact of stuttering on you or your child's life; Ask whether stuttering runs in the family; For a child, consider how likely it is that he or she will outgrow it. There are different treatments that can help with stuttering. Some of these may help one person but not another. You need to work with the speech-language pathologist to figure out the best plan for you or your child. The plan should take into account how long the stuttering has been going on and whether there are any other speech or language problems. For a child, the plan should also take into account your child's age and whether he or she is likely to outgrow the stuttering. Younger children may not need therapy right away. Their parents and teachers can learn strategies to help the child practice speaking. That can help some children. As a parent, it's important to be calm and relaxed when your child is speaking. If your child feels pressured, it can make it harder for them to talk. The speech-language pathologist will probably want to evaluate your child regularly, to see whether treatment is needed. Speech therapy can help children and adults minimize stuttering. Some techniques include: Speaking more slowly; Controlling breathing; Gradually working up from single-syllable responses to longer words and more complex sentences. For adults, self-help groups can help you find resources and support as you face the challenges of stuttering. There are electronic devices to help with fluency, but more research is needed to see whether they really help over the long term. Some people have tried medicines that usually treat other health problems such as epilepsy, anxiety, or depression. But these medicines are not approved for stuttering, and they often have side effects. NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Stuttering - also called stammering or childhood-onset fluency disorder - is a speech disorder that involves frequent and significant problems with normal fluency and flow of speech. People who stutter know what they want to say, but have difficulty saying it.

Stuttering, speech defect characterized by involuntary repetition of sounds or syllables and the intermittent blocking or prolongation of sounds, syllables, and words. These disruptions alter the rhythm and fluency of speech and sometimes impede communication, with consequences on the affected...