Stuttering can be “caught” through imitation or by hearing another person stutter.
MYTH
Nervousness causes stuttering.
MYTH
When children are learning a lot of words or new speech sounds, it is normal to notice some typical disfluencies (e.g. interjections, revising words in a sentences, or not finishing a thought).
FACT
All people who stutter want to be more fluent.
MYTH
People who stutter are shy and self-conscious individuals.
MYTH
Stuttering can begin gradually and develop over time or it can appear suddenly.
FACT
The following is a typical disfluency which happen to many of us and is not considered an example of stuttering: Changing the words in a sentence (i.e. revising) – "I had–I lost my tooth."
FACT
Recent neurological research has shown that people who stutter process speech and language slightly differently than those who do not stutter.
FACT
"Ssssssssam is nice." is an example of a prolongation.
FACT
Avoiding stuttering (e.g. by trying to speak quickly, by forcing through moments of stuttering, or by not speaking at all when you fear that you might stutter) can increase the likelihood that more stuttering will result.
FACT
People who stutter exhibit all 3 types of dysfluencies (i.e. repetitions, prolongations, and blocks).
MYTH
Stuttering usually begins in childhood, between the ages of 2 and 5 years.
FACT
Stress causes stuttering.
MYTH
It's estimated about 1% of the world's population stutters = 82 million people.
FACT
People who stutter are not smart.
MYTH
The President of the United States (Joe Biden) is a person who stutters (PWS).
FACT
As many as 80% of young children who begin to stutter ultimately stop stuttering. Those who continue to stutter into the school-age years are likely to continue stuttering in some fashion throughout their lives.
FACT
Stuttering varies widely among individuals, and can vary in the same individual from day to day and depending on the speaking situation.
FACT
Stuttering is a habit that people can break if they want to.
MYTH
Stuttering varies across situations: sometimes people stutter a lot, and sometimes they stutter a little. This variability is normal.
FACT
People who stutter stutter 100% of the time.
MYTH
Neurogenic stuttering occurs from traumatic brain injury or disease (e.g. stroke, brain injury, tumor, cysts, or degenerative diseases like Parkinson's or MS).
FACT
Stress can aggravate stuttering.
FACT
There are four factors most likely to contribute to the development of stuttering: 1. Genetics 2. Child development 3. Neurophysiology and 4. Family dynamics
FACT
Forcing a left-handed child to become right-handed causes stuttering.
MYTH
About 6 out of 10 people who stutter are thought to have a family member who also stutters.
FACT
The precise causes of stuttering are still unknown, but most researchers consider stuttering to be a neurological condition (i.e. a structural, biochemical, or electrical brain related condition) that interferes w/ the production of speech.
FACT
Stuttering is more common among males than females. In adults, the male-to-female ratio is about 4 to 1; in children, it is closer to 2 to 1.
FACT
People who stutter are the only ones who have disfluent speech.
MYTH
The following is a typical disfluency which happen to many of us and is not considered a true stutter: Adding a sound or word, called an interjection – "I um need to go home."
FACT
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has recognized stuttering as a disability entitling taxpayers to a tax credit. A person who stutters can apply for the disability tax credit by submitting the Canada Revenue Agency Form T2201.
FACT
"I w-w-w-want a drink." is an example of a block or stop.
MYTH
Stuttering is a genetically-influenced condition: most of the time if there is one person in a family who stutters, there will be another person in the family who also stutters.
FACT
Stuttering might be different from how other people speak but stuttering is not, in and of itself, an “incorrect” or “disordered” way of speaking.
FACT
Part-word repetitions (e.g. "I w-w-w-want a drink.") & one-syllable word repetitions (e.g. "Go-go-go away.") are typical disfluencies and would not be defined as true stuttering.
MYTH
People who stutter may experience greater dysfluencies when they're experiencing greater stress or time pressure (e.g. giving a presentation, speaking with an unfamiliar person, or going through a drive-thru line/ordering at a restaurant).
FACT
Stuttering is an “incorrect” or “disordered” way of speaking.
MYTH
The following is a typical disfluency which happen to many of us and is not considered an example of stuttering: Not finishing a thought – "His name is . . . I can't remember."
FACT
It always helps to tell a person who stutters to “take a deep breath before talking” or “just relax”
MYTH
Stuttering is psychological (i.e. not a physical cause, but rather arising in the mind/a mental state of mind).
MYTH
Neurogenic stuttering is more rare than developmental stuttering.
FACT
There are 3 types of stuttering: developmental stuttering, neurogenic stuttering, & psychogenic stuttering
FACT
Despite scientific breakthroughs in our knowledge about stuttering, there is still no reliable cure that works consistently, across time, and for all people who stutter.
FACT
Frustration or tension can cause more dysfluencies. Similarly, being excited or feeling rushed can also increase dysfluencies.
FACT
Individuals who speak more than one language may find that they stutter more in one language than the other, or they stutter fairly equally in both.
FACT
Adding a sound or word (i.e. an interjection – "I um need to go home.") is a not a typical disfluency. If you hear interjections in someone's speech it means that they are a person who stutters.
MYTH
Stuttering varies significantly over time; Sometimes, people will have periods in which the stuttering appears to go away, only to have it return. This variability is normal.
FACT
People who stutter have achieved and can achieve success in every profession imaginable, as well as all areas of personal achievement.
FACT
October 22nd is International Stuttering Awareness Day.
FACT
Stuttering is associated with differences in the brain; it is not just a behaviour that children learn or pick up from listening to other people who stutter.
FACT
Everyone who stutters stutters in the same way (i.e. they present with the same dysfluencies, stutter on the exact same words/sounds, sound the same when they speak).
MYTH
About 5% of children go through a period of stuttering, and 80% will recover without long-term intervention. The other 20% (or 1% of the population) are more likely to have influences/factors that perpetuates stuttering.
FACT
Stuttering is a speech pattern involving disruptions, or "dysfluencies", in a person's speech.
FACT
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