STAMMERING or STUTTERING, a spasmodic affection of the organs of speech in which the articulation of words is sud denly checked and a pause ensues, often followed by a repetition in rapid sequence of the particular sound at which the stoppage occurred. There are many grades, from a slight inability to pro nounce with ease certain letters or syllables, to a condition in which the muscles, not only of the tongue and throat and face, but even of those of respiration are involved in spasm.
In normal speech exquisite co-ordination of muscular move ment is necessary in larynx, cheeks, tongue, lips, involving also complicated nervous actions. It is when the co-ordination is not effected with sufficient precision that stammering results. Stam mering rarely shows itself before the age of four or five years, and often it develops in a child in a feeble state of health.
Stammerers, as a rule, find the explosive consonants b, p, d, t, k and hard g the most difficult to articulate, but many also are unable easily to deal with the more continuous consonants, such as v, f, th, s, z, sh, m, n, y, and in severe cases even the vowels may cause a certain amount of spasm. Usually the defect is not observed in whispering or singing.
The condition named aphtliongia totally prevents speech, and may, at intervals, come on when the person attempts to speak; it is only temporary, and is usually caused by nervous excitement.
Stuttering may, it seems, be overcome in some cases by in struction in reading and speaking slowly and deliberately, care fully pronouncing each syllable. When feeling the tendency to stammer, the speaker should pause, and then by a strong volun tary effort attempt to pronounce the word. He should also be taught how to regulate respiration during speech, so that he may not fail from want of breath. In some cases aid may be ob tained by raising the voice towards the close of the sentence.
Sounds or combinations of sounds that present special difficulties should be carefully studied, and the defect may be largely over come by a series of graduated exercises in reading. Intoning is often useful. Some maintain that benefit from such education is often merely temporary. In any case the psychical basis of stammering calls for the most pronounced attention in treatment. In very severe cases, where the seizures affect other muscles than those of articulation, medical treatment is necessary.