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A young man sitting next to a young woman who is holding a tablet which they are both looking at
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Babszie & Orla

Is There A Stammering Cure?

Is there a remedy or quick fix that will 'get rid' of stammering? Can you 'overcome' it? Will stammering stop? Find out here.

Can you cure stammering? The short answer is no. There is no 'miracle cure' that can take stammering away. 

You might find adverts online for courses or pills that claim to cure or stop stammering. Be wary of these. Although certain things can reduce a stammer for some, it's unlikely to go away completely. There isn't a permanent fix.

However, some things can help people manage their stammer and learn to speak more easily.

Therapy & courses

Speech & language therapy or intensive courses can help to manage stammering. They can:

  • teach techniques aimed at speaking in a controlled way
  • help address the negative feelings you or your child might have about stammering
  • help you or your child communicate with greater confidence. 

See what therapy & courses options are available for Adults and children/teenagers

Note: therapies and courses need constant work and commitment to be effective. They are not a 'quick fix'.

Also, different things 'work' for different people, so if one option isn't working out for you, it's not your fault. Try one of the other options and find one that suits you. Just don't expect it to magic the stammer away.

Medication

Some people find certain medicines or drugs reduce their stammer or stammering-related anxiety. But they don't do this for everyone and the evidence base is limited. 

Also, as with many medications, there might be unwanted side-effects to consider. 

Read more on our Stammering & Medications page.

Will stammering stop?

Approximately 8% of children stammer. Some will stop stammering as they get older, but that is not true for everyone. There is no way to know which children will stop stammering and who will carry on. See What Is Stammering? for more information.

If someone stammers into adulthood they are likely to continue throughout their life. But this doesn't have to be something to worry about. It won't always stay the same. Stammering can change. There'll be whole periods where people stammer less, and some where they stammer more. 

Some people find that they stammer less as they get older. For others, their stammer may stop almost completely and it may start again years later.

If someone's stammer begins in adulthood, it may change over time depending on what caused it. Find out more on our Stammers Starting In Adulthood page.

'Overcoming' a stammer

You might wonder if it's possible to 'overcome' a stammer. This is understandable with TV shows, films and news stories showing people going on a 'journey' to 'beat' stammering. But this is misleading. It gives the impression that people who stammer can be cured if they try hard enough. 

Sure, people can overcome their fear of stammering. They'll still stammer but will feel more confident about things. If they're using a technique, they'll need to keep using it. They won't suddenly be cured. You can't overcome stammering itself. 

Should stammering be cured?

This can be a controversial question. Some people want nothing more than to stop stammering. Others feel that their stammer is not something that needs to be 'cured', 'fixed' or 'overcome'. 

There's a growing feeling of Stammering Pride in parts of the community. Some people are starting to push back against society's demand for fluency. Instead, they want to celebrate the rich diversity of speaking voices. 

They champion the positives their stammer has given them. This can include things such as increased empathy, understanding and listening skills. Maybe broad vocabularies and an increased sense of community too.

We believe absolutely in your right to stammer. You may be entirely comfortable stammering. You might be proud of your stammer and celebrate the positive things it has brought you. 

However, we know not everyone feels that way. We believe that you have the right to deal with stammering in your own way. 

The important thing is to find out what works for you now. And if you're OK with the way you speak, you don't need to do anything at all.

Support & more information

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Two women in running outfits holding flags and looking at the camera
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Tayo & Bhupinder
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A speaker on stage at STAMMAFest 2023

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