Fluency (Stuttering)

What is fluency (i.e., stuttering)?

Fluency is the smooth flow of speech. Most children will develop a smooth speaking pattern. However, the rhythm or flow of speech can be impaired by pauses, interjections, hesitations, repetitions of sounds, words, parts of words, or phrases, or blocks or prolongations of speech. Sometimes, physical symptoms, such as blinking or facial grimaces may accompany this behavior.

There are many reasons a child’s speech may be “bumpy"

• A child may be nervous or excited about speaking to new people.

• A child may repeat words or parts of words to “stall” while he/she thinks of a word in English, or translates from his/her first language.

• A child may be going through a normal period of “developmental disfluency,” which affects 25% of young children. This often happens when a child’s language is blossoming and the brain is working faster than the mouth can say the words.

• Rarely, the child’s difficulty speaking significantly interferes with the child’s ability and/or desire to speak. When the child’s first language is not English, this occurs in the child’s native language as well as in English.