Childhood Onset Fluency Disorder

About Childhood Onset Fluency Disorder

Childhood onset fluency disorder, commonly called stuttering, is a communication disorder involving frequent disruptions in the normal fluency and time patterning of speech. These can include repetitions of sounds or syllables, prolonged sounds, broken words, blocks in which speech is stopped, and word substitutions to avoid difficult words, sometimes accompanied by physical tension. Onset usually occurs in early childhood, during the years when language develops rapidly, and many children recover naturally, while for others it persists into adulthood. It tends to run in families and is more often persistent in boys. Stuttering can cause anxiety about speaking and may lead people to avoid certain situations. It is not caused by nervousness or by parenting, though stress can make it more noticeable. Speech and language therapy is the main approach, including programs for young children delivered with parents and fluency techniques for older people, and therapy can also address the emotional impact of stuttering.