Fluency (Stuttering) Disorders

A fluency disorder is characterized by interruptions in the flow of speaking, such as atypical rate, rhythm, or disfluencies. Stuttering is the most common type of fluency disorder. It often emerges due to a combination of genetic and neurophysiological factors. Environmental influences, such as stress, family dynamics, or speaking demands, can exacerbate disfluent speech. 

Stuttering typically begins between the ages of 2 and 6. Temporary periods of disfluency lasting less than 6 months are common in young children. However, if stuttering persists beyond 6 months, it’s important to seek help from a licensed speech-language pathologist. 

Signs and Symptoms:

  • Monosyllabic whole-word repetitions (e.g., “That-that-that sounds fun!”)
  • Part-word or sound repetitions (e.g., “I saw a b-b-b-ball”)
  • Prolongation of sounds without emphasis (e.g., “Ssssometimes I eat pasta”)
  • Blocking (e.g., silent or inaudible fixations or difficulty initiating sounds)
  • Frequent use of filler words (e.g., “um”, “like”)  

These disfluencies may also be accompanied by negative emotional reactions to speaking, avoidance behaviors (e.g., avoiding specific words or situations), escape behaviors or secondary mannerisms (e.g., eye blinking, physical tension). 

At One Speech Therapy, our licensed speech-language pathologists provide individualized treatment for children who stutter. Our speech therapists use indirect treatment strategies (e.g., counseling and environmental modifications) or direct treatment interventions (e.g., speech modification and stuttering modification techniques) to reduce disfluency rate, physical tension, and secondary behaviors. Our goal is to work together and empower your child by improving their self-confidence, reducing stuttering severity, and enhancing their participation in social communication.