Search UC Irvine Healthcare

Q. What is stuttering?

A. Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by prolongations, frequent repetitions or pauses that disrupt the regular, rhythmic flow of speech. Stuttering is a common disorder and occurs across all cultures – affecting one percent of the population in a male to female ratio of approximately 4:1. To those afflicted, stuttering affects nearly every aspect of their lives in social, occupational and academic settings.

Q. What type of treatments do you offer at the Kirkup Center for the Medical Treatment of Stuttering at UC Irvine?

A. Currently, we are using different classes of medications that have been found to be effective in individuals who stutter. These medications target selective neurotransmitters (chemicals that send signals of information from one brain cell to the next) responsible for speech. By changing the activities of these chemicals, the medications improve the timing and initiation of speech.

Q. What population are you currently treating for stuttering?

A. We are currently treating older children, adolescents, and adults who stutter. We treat children only in special cases where speech therapy has found not to be effective. There is no cure for stuttering, but medical treatments can significantly reduce the symptoms of stuttering. The medications can often work in conjunction with speech therapy.