Monday, May 8, marks the beginning of National Stuttering Awareness Week [1], a weeklong spotlight on the condition affecting more than 80 million people worldwide. During this year’s observance, the Stuttering Foundation [2], the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to helping those who stutter, is sharing a list of “5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Stuttering” to raise awareness and promote understanding for people who stutter.

5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Stuttering

1. Singing and Stuttering [3]: People don’t stutter when they sing! In fact, there are contestants that have appeared on American Idol [4] and America’s Got Talent [5] who have shared their personal experience with stuttering. Check out our list of Famous People Who Stutter [6] for several world-renowned singers who also stutter.

2. Male vs. Female [7]: Stuttering affects three to four times as many males as females. Our own data on phone calls received from concerned parents supports this finding.

3. 80 Million People Stutter [8]: More than 80 million people worldwide stutter, which is about 1% of the global population. That’s more than the population of the France! In the U.S. alone, there are more than 3 million people who stutter.

4. 5% of Children Stutter [9]: Approximately 5% of all children go through a period of stuttering that lasts six months or more. Three-quarters of those will recover by late childhood, leaving about 1% with a long-term stutter. The best prevention tool is early intervention [10].

5. People Who Stutter Are Smart [11]: People who stutter are as smart and capable as anyone else. Many exceptionally smart, talented, and successful people struggle with stuttering. Check out our list of Famous People Who Stutter [6] for several examples of smart and talented people!

For more than 75 years, the Stuttering Foundation has served as a trusted resource [12] for the stuttering community, offering brochures, e-books, podcasts, videos, a magazine, virtual learning sessions and multiple social media channels [13] to spread timely and accurate information about stuttering.

Posted May 3, 2023