Stammering, also known as stuttering, can be identified by observing disruptions in the flow of speech.
Key Indicators of Stammering:
Here are some common characteristics that may indicate stammering:
-
Repetitions:
- Repeating sounds (e.g., "mu-mu-mommy")
- Repeating syllables (e.g., "ba-ba-baby")
- Repeating whole words (e.g., "I-I-I want that.")
-
Prolongations:
- Stretching out sounds within a word (e.g., "Ssssssnake")
-
Blocks:
- Experiencing difficulty starting a word, phrase, or sentence.
- Brief silences or pauses within words (e.g., "...I want to go")
- Tension or struggle visible in the face or neck when trying to speak.
-
Interjections:
- Inserting extra sounds or words, such as "um," "uh," or "like," particularly when anticipating difficulty.
-
Circumlocution:
- Substituting words or phrases to avoid words that are difficult to say.
-
Physical Tension:
- Visible tension in the face, neck, shoulders, or chest while speaking.
- Rapid eye blinks or other facial movements.
Important Considerations:
- Normal Disfluency vs. Stammering: Everyone experiences some level of disfluency in their speech. Normal disfluencies are common, especially in young children learning to speak. Stammering is more frequent and severe, and it can disrupt communication.
- Variability: Stammering can vary in severity from day to day or even from moment to moment. It may be influenced by factors such as stress, fatigue, or audience size.
- Emotional Impact: Stammering can lead to feelings of frustration, embarrassment, anxiety, or shame. These feelings can exacerbate the stammer.
Seeking Professional Help:
If you suspect that someone is stammering, it's important to be supportive and understanding. A speech-language pathologist (SLP) can conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine the presence and severity of stammering and recommend appropriate treatment strategies.
