Stuttering affects 1% of schoolchildren - early intervention is recommended, within 1 year of onset

Stuttering, also known as stammering, is a common speech disorder of neural speech processing that typically begins during the first 3-4 years of life. A review of 44 studies shows a prevalence of around 1% for schoolchildren.

Stuttering is a movement disorder of speech, with effects on the:

- jaw

- mouth

- facial muscles

- sometimes upper limbs

People who stutter are at risk of developing social anxiety or mental health problems. Educational, occupational, and social problems are common if chronic stuttering is not treated early

It is not possible to predict who will recover spontaneously. The window of opportunity is to treat children within one year of onset.

Early intervention is recommended, preferably within one year of onset of stuttering. Speech restructuring can rehabilitate speech in people with chronic stuttering

References:

Clinical management of stuttering in children and adults. BMJ 2011; 342:d3742 doi: 10.1136/bmj.d3742 (Published 24 June 2011).