Myths About Stuttering

People have been trying to explain the causes and cures of stuttering for centuries. Here are a few that are more fable than fact.

Myth: Stress causes stuttering.

While stress (fear, excitement, anxiety) can exacerbate stuttering, it does not cause it. However, there is evidence that there are high levels of dopamine (a chemical in the brain that makes you feel good) in people who stutter.

Myth: A child can learn stuttering if he or she spends too much time listening to someone who stutters.

Stuttering is not a condition anyone "catches" or learns. While no one really knows why some people stutter, most research suggests that genetic, neurological, and environmental factors all contribute to the onset of stuttering.

Myth: A person who stutters isn't breathing correctly.

Although I have spoken with an individual who was better able to control his stuttering using breathing techniques, there is no evidence to support that people who stutter cannot breathe correctly.

Myth: Stuttering is a childhood phase.

It is true that about 1 in 5 children who begin stuttering will eventually stop. However, that leaves 4 out of 5 of those children who will not stop.

Myth: Snipping the lingual frenulum will prevent or stop a person from stuttering.

The lingual frenulum is the thin membrane connecting the bottom of the tongue to the lower jaw. This is a myth held by African tribesmen and modern western doctors alike. However, cutting this membrane does nothing to help stop stuttering.

Myth: Forcing a left-handed person to write with his/her right hand causes stuttering.

During the early twentieth century, researchers suggested that left-handed children who were forced to write with their right hands were more likely to stutter than left-handed children who were not. (Other experts of the era claimed that the violent or forceful manners used to enforce the switch were the actual culprits.) There doesn't seem to be any recent evidence to support this claim.

Myth: Stuttering can be cured with medication.

Although there is a plethora of stuttering "cures" available over the internet, there is no known cure as of yet.

Myth: Statistically, people who stutter have lower IQs than people who don't.

There is no evidence to suggest that IQ (low or high) contributes to the presence of stuttering.

Stuttering is a complex condition that affects approximately 1% of the world's population. With so many people experiencing this type of dysfluency, it's important to recognize the misconceptions if we are to understand its causes and, ultimately, find a solution.

Are you someone who stutters? What myths have you encountered?

www.stutteringiscool.com

www.stutteringhelp.org

www.asha.org

www.nsastutter.org

www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/Infostuttering/folkmyths.html