Stuttering and Fluency
Stuttering (also known as Fluency) is a speech disorder that affects the natural flow of speech. People who stutter may experience disruptions in the smoothness or rhythm of their speech. These interruptions, known as disfluencies, can manifest as repetitions of sounds, words, or prolonged pauses.
An Example of Stuttering
Imagine someone trying to say the sentence, "I like to play basketball."
Original Sentence: "I like to play basketball."
Stuttered Version: "I-I-I like to play b-b-b-basketball."
In this example, you can see repetitions of certain sounds ('I-I-I' and 'b-b-b') and interruptions in the smooth flow of speech. Stuttering can vary in severity and may involve different types of disfluencies.
When to Be Concerned?
Early intervention is key for children who have a stutter or stammer. If your child begins stuttering or develops an uneasy or “bumpy” pattern in their speech, please don’t hesitate to give us a call and we can help you decide if an assessment is needed at this time.