What is Stuttering?

It’s a simple question with a complicated answer: What is stuttering?

Stuttering is a communication disorder, affecting less than 1% of the population. There are three main classifications of stuttering: repetition, prolongation, and stoppage. Many stutterers have a combination, but one specific type that’s more dominant. To fully grasp the differences, they should be heard. The following are videos clips of actual stutterers.

            Gracie is primarily a repetition stutterer.

            Ashlee is primarily a stoppage stutterer.

            Gianna is primarily a prolongation stutterer.         

You can see the struggle on their faces as they resist their speech. Unusual facial and body movements are common among stutterers. There are, however, many inner battles being fought inside Gracie, Ashlee, and Gianna that aren’t easily noticed.

The primary battle for a stutterer is trying to say words that they can’t. I’ll call these words Problem Words. Stutterers have dozens of innate tricks to avoid Problem Words. Some will postpone Problem Words by replacing them with pauses, or digressions; some will use physical movements, such as head jerks, to physically “force” Problem Words out (I’ll sometimes clench my fists without even realizing it). There are many techniques, both taught and instinctual, that I’ll explain later. First, though, I want to show what happens when you can’t win this battle, and Problem Words invade your speech.

The mind of stutterer is fast, but frenzied. After stuttering on certain words, sounds, or letters (Problem Words) we automatically begin avoiding them. Kristen Chmela, a speech pathologist from Long Grove, understands stutter-expectation. “I used to know, prior to stuttering on a word,” she said, “that I was going to a have a problem on it.”

This is when substitution comes in. Substitution is a technique stutters use to avoid saying Problem Words; they replace the Problem Words for other word(s) like it (synonyms).

If I, for instance, want to say: “I appreciate you letting me come over,” I’m immediately aware that two of my Problem Words are ‘appreciate’ and ‘letting.’ I would start substituting as soon as the potential stuttering approached. In this situation, I’d like to imagine by mind works similarly to a swat team; it surrounds my sentence, isolates the Problem Words, and demands its surrender. What I would say in lieu of the original thought would be: “I’m so glad I came over, thank you.” This process happens so swiftly, it occurs without anyone else realizing it.   

But substitution doesn’t always work. Yesterday, for example, was my mom’s birthday. I called our local bakery to order her an apple spice cake (her favorite). But I usually stutter on words that start in vowels. So instead of requesting the cake directly, I substituted, asking, “What kind of spicy, fruity cakes do you have?” I knew it sounded ridiculous, but I was desperate to avoid stuttering. The employee replied, “Well, we have a carrot cake.” I sighed. I couldn’t order the wrong cake just to avoid my stutter. “I think she likes the… a a-a-apple cake,” I said.

Once I started stuttering, I couldn’t stop. Stuttering is similar to a rolling snowball in that way. But even though I was completely aware of my stutter, I wasn’t as embarrassed as I might’ve been in the past. I did what I had to, and my mom’s birthday cake ended up being wonderful. At the end of the day, those few moments of discomfort were worth it.

           

Stutterers, I know you’ll avoid Problem Words, but in situations that you can’t, don’t be afraid to say them. The more you anticipate a Problem Word’s arrival, the more anxious you’ll be when it finally appears. So say it and move on, regardless of how it unraveled.

Be brave, stutterers, and know that, despite what form your words might take, relief will always follow.

-Rachel