By Lauren Polster, M.S., CCC-SLP
Stuttering Rates
- Lifetime incidence (how many people have ever stuttered in their life) 5-8%
- Persistence rate 20% (remainder: spontaneous recovery)
- Population prevalence (how many people stutter at a given point in time) 1%
Factors Associated with Increased Likelihood of Persistence without Treatment
- Relatives whose stuttering persisted (may be correlation-but more research is needed) *Male (Girls tend to recover after a shorter history than boys)
- Later Stuttering Onset (Onset is typically between 3-3.5 years. If the onset is later, it is more likely to persist)
- Frequency and severity not decreasing after 7-12 months
- The longer a child stutters after a year, the greater risk for persistence
- Note: Severity at time of onset does not predict persistence
Additional Considerations
- Children who stutter who persist tend to have lower phonological skills
- Children with developmental language asynchronies (advanced, delayed or disordered) are more likely to persist
Adapted from Guitar (2014), Yairi & Ambrose (2005), Yairi & Seery (2015)