Fluency Disorders
Fluency means uninterrupted and smooth flow of sounds, syllables, words and phrases when put together while speaking.
If dysfluencies are observable then one must consult a Speech Language Pathologist or Speech Therapist.
Most common fluency disorders are stuttering and cluttering.
Stuttering
- Stuttering also known as stammering.
- Stuttering is a most common fluency disorder in which continuity of speech flow is interrupted.
- Stuttering is characterized by interruptions such as repetitions, prolongations, blocks, hesitations and secondary behaviours.
- Person with stuttering knows what he/she wants to say but has trouble speaking in a flowing way (effortful).
- Stuttering symptoms increases when the person is excited, tired or under stress, or when feeling self-conscious, hurried or pressured.
- A stutter feels difficulty speaking in front of a group or talking on the phone.
Cluttering
- Cluttering is a speech, language and communication disorder characterized by irregular speech rate, jerky speech, erratic rhythm, and poor syntax or grammar, making speech difficult to understand.
- Cluttering is also characterized by slurred speech.
- Clutterer can put thoughts into words but cannot organize thoughts while speaking to produce fluent speech.
- A clutterer is usually unaware of his/her speech dysfluencies.
- Cluttering is often misdiagnosed as stuttering.