Stammer Dr Trisha Macnair Stammering can cause real distress for children, however there are ways to improve speech and language.

In this article

What is a stammer? Symptoms

Causes and risk factors Treatment and recovery

Stammering, or stuttering, is a problem with the normal flow and timing of speech. Attempts to say something may be interrupted by repetition of a syllable, prolongation of the sound or a complete block on speech.

There is often embarrassment about having a stammer. People who stammer may find they are quite fluent if they sing, whisper or speak as part of a group.

Recent research has found that some people who stammer may have difficulty coordinating the muscles for speech and need more time to speak.

The severity of stammering may depend on the child's surroundings. The child may have problems initiating speech or flowing from one syllable to the next - all stammers sound different. Some deal with the problem by simply not speaking at all.

Some children with stammers also develop a tic or tremor (shake).

There's no simple, obvious cause of stammering, but it's likely to be due to a variety of factors rather than a single one. These factors may be genetic or environmental, such as problems in the home or at school.

Stammering usually begins between the ages of three and five - 90 per cent of cases are evident before the age of eight. One in 20 children will have a stammer at some time, but most recover, with or without help. Only one per cent of adults stammer.

It's four times more common in boys than in girls. In families where a person has a stutter, there's an increased risk that other members will have the same problem.

A stammer should be diagnosed by a speech therapist (your GP can refer you), who can advise on what the problem is and how it's best treated.

There's no cure for a stammer, but many therapies can make a difference. One simple approach that helps many people is simply to speak more slowly. Speech and language therapists can teach the affected child a variety of techniques and may suggest the use of technical aids to mask other people's voices.

Other treatments include formal speech therapy, development of social skills, self awareness, assertiveness training and communication skills.

This article was last medically reviewed by Dr Orlena Kerek in March 2009