About Stuttering

What is stuttering?
What causes stuttering?
There are four factors most likely to contribute to the development of stuttering: genetics (approximately 60% of those who stutter have a family member who does also); child development (children with other speech and language problems or developmental delays are more likely to stutter); neurophysiology (recent research has shown that people who stutter process speech and language in different areas of the brain than those who do not stutter); and family dynamics (high expectations and fast-paced lifestyles can contribute to stuttering). Stuttering may occur when a combination of factors comes together; stuttering may have different causes in different people. What causes stuttering may differ from what makes it continue or get worse.
How many people stutter?
Over 300,000 Canadians and three million Americans stutter; approximately 1% of the population.
What is the ratio of males to females who stutter?
Stuttering affects four times as many males as females.
How many children stutter?
Some 20 percent of all children go through a stage in their speech development during which they encounter dysfluencies severe enough to be a concern to their parents. The best prevention tool is early intervention.
Is stuttering caused by emotional or psychological problems?
