Stuttering Support Group

The term stuttering is most commonly associated with involuntary sound repetition, but it also encompasses the abnormal hesitation or pausing before speech, referred to by stutterers as blocks, and the prolongation of certain sounds, usually vowels. Much of what constitutes "stuttering" cannot be observed by the listener; this includes such things as sound and word fears, situational fears, anxiety, tension, shame, and a feeling of "loss of control" during speech. The emotional state of the individual who stutters in response to the stuttering often constitutes the most difficult aspect of the disorder.

About 1% of adults and 5% of children in the world are afflicted with some form of the disorder, with slightly higher percentages of affected African (8%-9%) and West Indies (3%-4%) adults 2. Men account for approximately 80% of all stutterers, while women are much more likely to either outgrow or recover from the disorder. A wide variety of stuttering treatments are available. No single treatment is effective for every stutterer. This suggests that stuttering doesn't have a single cause, but rather is the result of several interacting factors. If so, then combining several stuttering treatments may be more effective than relying on a single treatment. Many speech-language pathologists favor such an integrated approach to stuttering, and tailor therapy to each individuals' needs. Fluency shaping therapy trains stutterers to speak fluently by relaxing their breathing, vocal folds, and articulation (lips, jaw, and tongue).