What Causes Stammering?

We don't really know yet. Scientists have been working for years to try and find out whether there is a cause and whether there is a cure. So far all that has been agreed is that the problem is highly complicated.

Stammering is probably not caused by one single thing for a person - it is more likely that it is the result of very many factors. More importantly, the ingredients of stammering are probably different for every person who has a stammer. And the things that help stammering may be slightly different for everyone too.

This diagram shows the four different areas which may influence your stammer, some of which may apply to you.

Physical factors

• Do you have other blood relatives who stammer?
  
• Do you have difficulty in concentrating or organising yourself?
  
• Do you ever find yourself thinking faster than you can speak?

Speech and language factors

• Do you have difficulty finding the right words?
  
• Did you have trouble learning to talk or were you advanced for your age?
  
• Did you have difficulty making sounds for speech?
  
• Are you a fast talker?

Environment

This is linked to everything around you - home, school, friends, enemies, etc! These don't cause the stammering, but may affect how much you stammer.

• Is there competition to speak at home or at school?
  
• Are people around you in a rush?
  
• Do you get teased?

Personality

• Do you worry about things?
  
• Do you keep problems to yourself?
  
• Is it important to you to get things right?
  
• Are you sensitive to what others think?

For most people it is a combination of some of these factors that, when added together, make it more likely that they will stammer.

Read on for advice about coping with stammering from children who stammer...

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