Stuttering (Dysfluency)

Adult Service Areas

Treating stuttering (dysfluency), kids playing together

Stuttering is defined as an abnormally high frequency of interruptions in the natural flow of speech. These interruptions include:

  1. repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words
  2. prolongations of sounds
  3. blocks of airflow or voicing in speech

People who have stuttered for an extended period of time may develop secondary behaviours that accompany the stutter. These take the form of eye blinks, head nods, flare of nostrils, or other movements of the face or body.

The most concerning aspect of stuttering is the effects that it can have on a speaker’s emotions, attitudes and self-concept. Stuttering can actually lead to avoidance of certain social situations and limit opportunities. At Speech Pathways, we believe that all persons who stutter, regardless of age or severity can benefit from therapy. We teach techniques that enable the speaker to gain greater control over their moments of stuttering. Greater control leads to greater confidence as a speaker; which ultimately results in improved self-concept.