Risk factors for stuttering
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Risk factors for stuttering
During an evaluation for stuttering, a health professional will consider a child's risk factors to help determine whether the problem is temporary (normal disfluency) or likely to persist (developmental stuttering).
Risk factors for stuttering include:1
- Being male. Stuttering affects 3 times more males than females.
- Having a parent or sibling whose stuttering did not resolve on its own.
- Experiencing delays in language development or speech.
- Having speech irregularities that have lasted 18 months or more.
Usually, each risk factor taken individually is not significant. Rather, the strength of each risk factor and how many are present can help a health professional determine whether stuttering is likely to be a long-term problem.
References
Citations
Guitar B, Conture EG (2004). The Child Who Stutters: To the Pediatrician. Publication No. 23, 3rd ed. Memphis, TN: Stuttering Foundation of America. Also available online: http://www.stutteringhelp.org/Portals/english/0023tped.pdf.
Credits
| Author | Amy Fackler, MA |
| Author | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Associate Editor | Terrina Vail |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Robert M. Kroll, BSc, MSc, PhD - Speech Pathology |
| Last Updated | September 15, 2006 |
| Last updated: | September 15, 2006 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Reviewed By: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Robert M. Kroll, BSc, MSc, PhD - Speech Pathology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Terrina Vail |
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