Speech problems and their treatment

When you were younger and first began talking, you may have lisped, stuttered, or had a hard time pronouncing words. Maybe you were told that it was "cute," or not to worry because you would soon grow out of it. But if you're in your teens and still stuttering, you may not feel like it's so endearing.You're not alone. More than 3 million Americans have the speech disorder known as stuttering (or stammering, as it's known in Britain). It's one of several conditions that can affect a person's ability to speak clearly. Stuttering is a problem that interferes with fluent (flowing and easy) speech. A person who stutters may repeat the first part of a word (as in wa-wa-wa-water) or hold a single sound for a long time (as in caaaaaaake). Some people who stutter have trouble getting sounds out altogether. Stuttering is complex, and it can affect speech in many different ways.