Today October 22, is World Stuttering (Stammering) Day

On this day we remember those who stutter. Another word for stutter is stammer. We all know one or two persons who stammer or had stammered. I was one too as a youngster, especially when angry or excited.  Stammering/ stuttering is a very common condition and is often depicted comically in drama sketches. More than 70 million people are affected worldwide.

Stuttering is a speech disorder in which sounds, syllables or words are repeated or elongated leading to a disruption in the normal flow of speech.  Often this disruption is accompanied by secondary struggling behaviours such as rapid eye blinking or extremity tremors.

What leads to stuttering?

It is postulated that stuttering may result from any of the following:- (i) genetic factors – usually an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance and seen in 60% of cases, with one or more family members affected. (ii) Impaired speech and language development in early childhood especially in the setting of developmental delays. (iii) family dynamics where there are high expectations and racy lifestyles. (iv) abnormal neurological functioning where the brain poorly processes speech and language.

Several studies have shown that people who stutter tend to have an abnormality in the arcuate fasciculus, a pathway of fibres which connects language areas of the brain and is located in the white matter. At the back of the brain, the fasciculus normally has a third major branch into the temporal lobe, an area critical for speech processing. In most stutterers there is absence of this critical third branch.

So what?

Yes, stammering is not a life-threatening disorder but as a condition that affects about 1% of the world’s population, it can be debilitating as it impairs effective communication. It leads to low self- esteem and poor self- confidence. It also causes low quality of life. Males are 4 times more affected than females. About 5% of children will stutter at some point in time, usually between 2 -5 years of age when they are learning how to speak. Most will outgrow it though.

It has been demonstrated that stress and anxiety do not on their own cause stuttering but can precipitate it in those with the speech disorder. There is a computer-based treatment programme called Modified Phonation Intervals (MPI) which has been shown to help sufferers overcome the disorder over three weeks of therapy.

Famous stutterers

As one who stammered a bit as a child, it appears I am in good company. Famous stutterers (mostly in their much younger years) include historical figures such as Aristotle, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, US President Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. Contemporary childhood stutterers include Samuel L Jackson, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis and Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean). Bible scholars wonder if Exodus 4:10 point to Moses as having a stutter.

So as we commemorate the World Stuttering Day today, if you stutter or know a stutterer, be of good cheer for you (or the stutterer) are likely destined to be great!