Cluttering: what it is, how it is treated and how it differs from stuttering

Cluttering is a still poorly understood speech fluency disorder. Let's find out what it is and why it differs from stuttering.

When we talk about cluttering we mean a fluency disorder in which the subject is unable to adjust his speed in speaking.
This phenomenon affects about 2% of the population , with a male predominance and a genetic and hereditary component.
It almost always arises in the developmental age and therefore as for stuttering, in an early way . And this even if, in some cases, it can be diagnosed during adolescence . Recognizing it in time is certainly one of the best ways to deal with and solve the problem, preventing it from getting worse and at the same time improving the quality of life of those who suffer from it.

Cluttering: symptoms and treatments

Often, those who have the problem of cluttering know they have a problem because they realize that they are not understood as they would like but fail to realize what it is and how their words reach the listener. This makes verbal comprehension and, therefore, socialization with others even more difficult. The result is in fact monologues that are often not understood due to the extreme speed and other problems strictly related to the language.

It is therefore a problem that presents very specific symptoms, which often make conversations really difficult (if not impossible) and which can be summarized as follows:

– Interruptions in speech
– Repetitions of syllables
– Omission of words
– Continuous reformulation of sentences
– Abnormal accents
– Errors in the structure of words
– Continuous digressions
– Absence of pauses in speech

The result is not being able to make yourself understood, having to repeat the same concept more often and all without being able to find a different or functional way .
It is important to know that cluttering can present itself as a problem in itself or be part of other problems such as Tourette's syndrome , Asperger's disorder , etc…

As far as treatments are concerned, as with stuttering it may be helpful to first recognize the problem. Secondly, the intervention of a speech therapist and, if it could be helpful, of a psychotherapist is essential. Generally, addressing the problem at 365 degrees is a great way to resolve it as soon as possible, leading the person experiencing this discomfort to express themselves in a more understandable way.

Difference between cluttering and stuttering

Often these two problems are confused or mixed with each other. The truth is that although in both cases we are dealing with fluency problems , we start from different conditions which, therefore, need to be addressed in a personalized way and linked from time to time to the age, lifestyle and problems of the person concerned .
Ifstuttering is a problem that mostly concerns the articulation of words , in the case of cluttering we speak instead of problems related to their formulation and expression.

The positive aspect is however that for both cases there are solutions and that with the right work it is possible to return to speaking in an understandable way, thus making improvements both to the lifestyle in general and to the social part.