Fluency Disorders

A fluency disorder is when a child has difficulty speaking smoothly, without interruptions or unintentional pauses. Speech therapy can help a child build more fluent speech through fluency strategies, while also supporting confidence in their communication skills.

Stuttering

The most common type of fluency disorder is stuttering. When a child with a stuttering disorder speaks, they may have:

• Repetitions – saying parts of words or whole words more than once (e.g., “I-I-I want that” or “Can can can I go?”)

• Prolongations – stretching out sounds (e.g., “Sssssssometimes I go outside”)

• Blocks – pauses where the child seems “stuck” and no sound comes out, even though they’re trying to speak

There can also be physical signs like tension in the face or body or eye blinking. Stuttering also includes negative feelings about talking.

Cluttering

Cluttering is a type of fluency disorder, similar to stuttering, but with different features. It affects the flow and clarity of speech.

A child with a cluttering disorder may:

• Leave out sounds or parts of words

• Have words that run together, making them hard to understand

• Speed up, slow down, or pause in unusual places

• Have little awareness of how unclear their speech is to listeners

Websites with More Information

• American Board of Stuttering and Cluttering

• ASHA