We have all passed through times where our speech is unclear. When we are tired, angry, and very excited, we might repeat words or even sentences while talking. These instances are called disfluencies. 

Stuttering is one of the most common disfluency disorders. People who stutter tend to have more disfluencies and different types too.

There are three types of stuttering:

Developmental stuttering:

Developmental stuttering is the most common type of stuttering; it occurs in young children between 2 and 5 years old while still learning speech and language skills. Some scientists and clinicians believe that developmental stuttering occurs when children’s speech and language abilities cannot meet their verbal demands. Most children get over developmental stuttering without intervention. Still, it is recommended to consult with a speech therapist to give proper recommendations and guidance to overcome this period. If the stuttering lasts more than six months, parents need to consider a speech therapy assessment for their child. 

Neurogenic stuttering:

Neurogenic stuttering may occur after a stroke, head trauma, or other types of brain injury.

Psychogenic stuttering:

At one point in time, all stuttering was believed to be psychogenic, caused by emotional trauma, but today we know that psychogenic stuttering is rare.

Here are some symptoms of stuttering: 

• Part-word repetitions, for example: "I w-w-w-want to eat."
• One-syllable word repetitions, for example: "the hat-hat-hat is red."
• Prolonged sounds, for example, "Ssssssssara is here."
• Blocks or stops – "I want a (pause)car."
• Using interjections such as “um,” "ehh" or “like,” in Arabic: "هيدا" "شو اسمو" for example, "I am going... um um like..."
• Stopped or blocked speech: The mouth is open to speaking but nothing is said.
• Rushed sentences or phrases, as the child hurries to express a complete thought or idea before stuttering starts.
• Talking slowly or with multiple pauses.
• Being out of breath or nervous while talking.
• Fast eye blinking, trembling, shaking lips, or head nodding when speaking.
• Increased stuttering when tired, excited, or under stress.
• Being afraid to talk.
• Children and adults who stutter experience social, emotional, psychological, and functional consequences.

It is crucial to treat stuttering at a young age. If children are still stuttering later in childhood, they might be at higher risk of bullying among their friends. They might experience negative behaviors from their environment (friends, peers, family members, teachers, or even adults).  In these cases, the child might learn to use actions to avoid stuttering: avoid saying what they want to say, keep away from verbal communication at school, and put a stop to the use of certain words. If left untreated, adults who stutter may end up avoiding jobs or personal commitments that have verbal demands.