• Question: what is the reason for human stutter?

    Asked by anon-181162 on 5 Jun 2018.
    • Photo: Alexandra Hogan

      Alexandra Hogan answered on 5 Jun 2018:


      We don’t really know why some children have a stutter and others don’t, although it’s quite common. The development of speech is really complex and involves the brain, as well as the muscles that control the mouth and breathing, to all work together. So, a stutter can occur if this process doesn’t quite ‘line up’. It could also be partly affected by genes (or family history). Children will often stop stuttering by themselves as they get older and their speech develops, but sometimes speech therapy might be needed. Stuttering can also sometimes occur in adults, and might be caused by a trauma or other medical condition.

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