What is Stuttering?

Stuttering is a complex communication disorder that affects approximately 1% of the population (over 68 million people) and 3 million Americans.  Because many children go through a period of stuttering, but then outgrow it, approximately 5% of children stutter at some point in their lives.

Because stuttering is a multi-dimensional disorder, it can most easily be defined in three parts: 

1. The observable characteristics, such as repetitions (c-c-car), prolongations (mmmine), blocks (----book), physical struggle, etc.
2. The communication difficulties experienced in everyday life, such as, difficulty ordering in a restaurant, introducing yourself, reading aloud, etc.
3. The impact that stuttering has on quality of life, such as: feeling ashamed, embarrassed, anxiety, low self-esteem, etc.