Overview:
Stuttering is a speech and language disorder where people with stuttering have difficulty in pronouncing words. It can be worse when the person is excited, tired or under stress. It usually starts between the ages of two and five. If it lasts longer, it requires intervention. The exact causes of stuttering are still unknown; however, it may be due to several factors. There are effective treatments to help people with stuttering to improve their speech. This annual event is held on October 22nd of each year, to raise awareness of stuttering, unite efforts to educate the community, and reach out to people who stutter and who still feel lonely and isolated.
Objectives:
- Supporting people who stutter to overcome and control it.
- Raising awareness of ways to deal with people who stutter.
Facts:
Types of stuttering:
- Early stuttering (during a child's development): It occurs while the child is still learning speech and language skills, and it is the most common, as the exact cause of its occurrence is still unclear, although it is widely believed that it is caused by a difference in the connection across the parts of the brain responsible for speech; but in children, the brain connections are still in the development stage, which explains why many children eventually get rid of stuttering, and why treatment is easier and more successful in children, the younger they are. It is believed that genes play a role in the occurrence of many cases of stuttering, as we find that about 66% of stuttering cases are inherited in the same family.
- Late stuttering (acquired): It occurs due to a stroke, head trauma, or any other type of brain injury. The brain faces difficulty in coordinating between different areas of the brain, which results in problems in producing speech clearly and fluently. It can also be due to some medications, or psychological and emotional shock.
Official Date:
Globally: October 22nd, 2024
Locally: Rabi’ Al- Akhar 19th, 1446H