Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

International Stammering Awareness Day is 22 October and this year's theme is "Being Seen, Being Heard – Representation and normalisation of stuttering in the mainstream."

"International Stammering Awareness Day 2022" written in pale blue against a green background. Green ribbon is the logo for the Day.

Stammering, aka stuttering, affects around 1% of the population. People who stammer know what they want to say but have difficulty saying it.

Sadly, there is a great deal of stigma about the condition, and those who stammer are far too often subjected to bullying, exclusion from activities and thoughtless, challenging reactions from others. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that children and adolescents who stammer are more likely to be bullied than those who don't stammer. Not surprisingly, this can affect their attitude towards themselves and their stammer into adulthood, impacting their career, social life, and mental and emotional wellbeing.

International Stammering Awareness Day is an opportunity to break down walls and increase our understanding. 

Birtan Demirel, a DPhil candidate in Kate Watkins' Speech and Brain group who researches persistent stuttering said, "What we say is more important than how we say it. We would like to hear more people who stammer in the press and media. Don't let your different way of speaking hold you back from sharing your ideas and experiences. Your words are worth waiting for." 

The Speech and Brain Group uses brain imaging and brain stimulation to study typical speech perception and production and to explore differences in the structure and function of the brain associated with disorders of speech and language. Find out more about their research and how you can get involved. 

 

Further information and helpful resources

Stamma. Stamma provides valuable information and resources, including a free helpline. 

International Stuttering Awareness Day (ISAD) Online Conference, until 31 October, 2022.