Medical Questions » Other Problems Questions » Question No. 773
| Question: | I have been stuttering since early childhood, and am now 25. Could you please tell me the cause, and recommend a medicine which will be of some benefit. |
| Answer: | Stuttering is the involuntary repetition of a sound during speech. The speaker is unable to proceed past this point in speech for some seconds, but eventually s/he overcomes the barrier, and the remaining part of the sentence or phrase comes out in a rush.
The cause of stuttering is unknown, but it tends to start with the commencement of speech between two and four years of age. It is more common in boys than girls, and more likely if one parent is, or was, a stutterer.
Some experts believe that emotional insecurity, anxiety and disturbances in childhood can be a trigger for stuttering, but this theory is not accepted by all. It may be that the insecurity and anxiety is caused by the stammer, rather than the converse.
An association between left—right confusion and stuttering has also been noted.
If the person is tense, hurried or confused, the stammer will be worse. Helping a stammerer to finish a sentence only agitates him/her more, and worsens the problem with the next sentence.
The consonants are the usual block in stammerers, and the letters p' and ' b' are the most commonlv involved.
Interestingly, stammerers can usually sing without stammering, even if it is a sentence they had been totally unable to complete previously. Some stammerers use a sing-song cadence to their speech pattern to overcome their problem, and speech therapists may use singing as a starting point in their treatment of stuttering. A metronome may also be used during treatment to correctly pace the speech pattern.
Treatment involves assessment by a paediatrician to exclude any of the rare underlying brain conditions that may contribute to stuttering, followed by long-term treatment by a speech therapist. Psychologists and/or psychiatrists may also be involved in counselling at intervals through this treatment.
Other than brief use of minor anti-anxiety drugs, no medication can help stuttering, but given persistence over many months or years, most patients can learn to cope with their disorder with the dedicated assistance of a speech therapist.
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