Cluttering

Cluttering is defined as "...a disturbance of fluency involving an abnormally rapid rate and erratic rhythm of speech that impedes intelligibility. Faulty phrasing patterns are usually present so that there are bursts of speech consisting of groups of words that are not related to the grammatical structure of the sentence. The affected person is usually unaware of any communication impairment."

Cluttering usually includes effortless repetitions, usually single syllables, short words, and phrases (stutterers only repeat initial sounds).

Cluttering may also be characterized by poor concentration and short attention span; perceptual weakness; and poorly organized thinking, or speaking before clarifying thoughts.

Clutterer: "I want to go to the st...uh...place where you buy...market st-st-store and I don't have muh-muh ti-ti-time money."

Stutterer: "I want to go to the sssssssssstore and I don't have muh-muh- muh-muh-money."

Neurogenic Stuttering

Strokes and head injuries can cause stuttering-like symptoms in adults. Neurogenic stuttering has repetitions, prolongations, and blocks. Neurogenic stutterers lack the facial grimaces, eye blinking, and fears and anxieties of developmental stuttering.

Psychogenic Stuttering

Adult psychogenic stuttering begins suddenly after an event causing extreme psychological stress. It's characterized by repetition of initial or stressed syllables, lack of conditions inducing fluency, an indifferent attitude toward the disorder, and maintenance of normal eye contact. Psychogenic stuttering is rare.

Spastic Dysphonia

Spastic dysphonia is a repeated blockage of the larynx only. The onset is in middle age, and the disorder affects an equal number of men and women.

Tourette's Syndrome

Tourette's is like stuttering with your hands and feet. Touretters compulsively touch objects, and some have verbal symptoms such as barking or saying obscenities. Like stuttering, these behaviors are situational, but trying to not do the behaviors makes the behavior stronger.

Social Phobia

People with social phobia experience anxiety and panic when going to parties, meeting strangers, or even in minor social situations such as talking to a store clerk.