Stuttering is an interruption in the forward flow of speech characterized by repetitions of syllables (“buh-buh-but”), prolongations of sounds (“mmmmmy”), or blocks where no speech comes out (“[silent pause] what”), and is often accompanied by tension, struggle, and/or or self-coping behaviors as the person who stutters speaks. Stuttering is variable and fundamentally different than a typical ‘disfluency’ where the speaker who stutters experiences an underlying loss of control or a feeling of ‘stuckness.’ The impact of stuttering on a person’s life may go well beyond what a listener can see. 

While the exact cause is still being actively researched, we can confidently say that stuttering is neurophysiological condition or difference with a strong genetic component that can be impacted by a variety of factors related to language, motor, speech, temperament, and environment and most people who stutter begin stuttering between ages 2 and 7 years of age. It is important to note that stuttering is not caused by nervousness or anxiety, as individuals can be at their most relaxed state and still stutter on every word. It is also not possible to ‘catch’ stuttering, as it is not something that is learned through imitation.