Stuttering: a brief review.

The etiology of stuttering is controversial. The prevailing theories point to measurable neurophysical dysfunctions that disrupt the precise timing required to produce speech. Stuttering is a common disorder that usually resolves by adulthood. Almost 80 percent of children who stutter recover fluency by the age of 16 years. Mild stuttering is self-limited, but more severe stuttering requires speech therapy which is the mainstay of treatment. Delayed auditory feedback and computer-assisted training are currently used to help slow down speech and control other speech mechanisms. Pharmacologic therapy is seldom used, although haloperidol has been somewhat effective.