The realities of stuttering are often surprising. Here are some facts and figures to broaden your perspective and celebrate the diversity of human speech.
- Stuttering is common: Around 80 million people worldwide stutter, which is roughly 1 % of the global population. It affects people from all languages, cultures and backgrounds.
- More boys than girls: Stuttering affects three to four times as many males as females.
- Most children recover: About 5 % of all children go through a period of stuttering lasting six months or more, but three‑quarters recover by late childhood.
- Singing changes everything: Many people who stutter speak fluently when they sing or chant. Rhythm and melody provide timing cues that bypass usual speech patterns.
- Famous voices: Comedian and actor Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) is a person who stutters; he has said his stammer disappears when he plays a character. Other well‑known people who have stuttered include Marilyn Monroe, James Earl Jones and Joe Biden.
- Stuttering isn’t linked to intelligence: People who stutter are as smart and capable as anyone else. There are accomplished scientists, athletes, leaders and artists who stutter.
- It’s neurological, not psychological: Research points to a combination of genetics, neurophysiology, child development and family dynamics in the cause of stuttering. It is not caused by nervousness or emotional problems.
- Multiple languages, similar prevalence: Stuttering occurs in all spoken languages at similar rates. It is not tied to language structure or complexity.
- Fluency varies: People who stutter may speak fluently when whispering, speaking in unison, adopting an accent or altering their voice. These conditions provide external cues that change the speech motor pattern.
- Rowan Atkinson’s inspiration: Atkinson has said that his stutter influenced his career in physical comedy, where he could express humour without relying on fluent speech.