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Children and stuttering; Speech disfluency; Stammering
Stuttering may start with repeating consonants (k, g, t). If stuttering becomes worse, words and phrases are repeated.
Later, vocal spasms develop. There is a forced, almost explosive sound to speech. The person may appear to be struggling to speak.
Stressful social situations and anxiety can make symptoms worse.
Symptoms of stuttering may include:
Other symptoms that might be seen with stuttering include:
Children with mild stuttering are often unaware of their stuttering. In more severe cases, children may be more aware. Facial movements, anxiety, and increased stuttering may occur when they are asked to speak.
Some people who stutter find that they don't stutter when they read aloud or sing.
No testing is usually necessary. The diagnosis of stuttering may require consultation with a speech pathologist.
Prasse JE, Kikano GE. Stuttering: an overview. Am Fam Physician. 2008;77(9):1271-1276.
Stuttering. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. NIDCD. NIH Pub. No. 10-4232. Updated March 2010. Reviewed OCtober 2008.
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