Symptoms:

Symptoms of stuttering may include:

• Hesitancy in starting sentences or phrases
• Prolonged pauses while speaking
• Repeating sounds, syllables, or words
• Very long sounds within words

Other symptoms that might be seen with stuttering include:

• Eye blinking
• Involuntary movements of the head or other body parts
• Jaw jerking

Children with mild stuttering are often unaware of their stuttering. In more severe cases, children may show greater awareness, accompanied by facial movements, anxiety, and increased stuttering when they are asked to speak.

Signs and tests:

No testing is usually necessary. The diagnosis of stuttering may require consultation with a speech pathologist.