Starting to stammer after catching Covid

Tuesday 6th October 2026

Natasha

Natasha Potterton's life was turned upside down when she started stammering after a bout of Covid-19. Here she describes the shock of speaking differently, and tells us how others have supported her.

Originally from Australia, I moved to the UK five years ago to marry my British husband Tony. I had been through many struggles in my life, but I never knew that I would lose my voice.

It started in November 2024 after I started to feel unwell. I was working from home during that time, so I continued to work even when I developed a fever. I was on the phones at work that day and finished at 5pm. I struggled to get through the day but made it just as what I could only describe as the worst brain fog of my life started.

I told Tony I wasn’t feeling well so went to lay down. By 7pm I could not speak at all and started to become confused. I don't remember much after that until I woke up in the hospital. Turns out I became unresponsive and my husband called an ambulance. It was found that I had Covid 19, which caused my brain to short circuit (that’s how the neurologist described it to me).

It never occurred to me that covid could affect speech.

What followed was two weeks in hospital and months of tests and anxiety of the unknown, as it never occurred to me that covid could affect speech. I could not speak at all for about four months, then after months of speech therapy and more tests, and even using an app to communicate at times, I managed to learn to speak again. Only, I was not able to speak as fluently as before and had developed a severe stammer.

Friends and family found it hard to understand me and I found it difficult when people would talk over me, finish my sentences or just not give me enough time to speak. As I struggled to communicate, I was made redundant from my job working on the phones for an energy company. I felt very isolated for a long time; I avoided people and I sunk into a deep depression and even considered ending my life at one point.

Support

It was only when I reached the lowest point that something in me changed. With the support of a great therapist, a supportive employer, an amazing husband who didn’t give up on me and a supportive church that accepted me for me, I slowly started speaking up again and learned not to be ashamed of my stammer anymore.

I slowly started speaking up again and learned not to be ashamed of my stammer anymore.

My work life has changed dramatically. I eventually found a really supportive employer, working from home in finance helping people in financial difficulties. My employer adapted my job role so I now only do email, webchat and admin work, and do not have to speak on the phones.

My friends and family are now more accepting, giving me the time to speak and they don't talk over me. occasionally it still happens but they are more understanding. I’ve also made a friend who stammers. I met her at a local church and we got along straight away. It was really nice to have that mutual understanding of the challenges of having a stammer.

Learning to accept

Two years later, I still stammer and no matter how hard I try, it remains. Acquiring a stammer as an adult who had fluency all their life was strange and I’m still learning to accept it even now.

I will always have down days but I know that speaking up no matter how I sound is the only way forward now. Life is precious and no one should have to silence their voice for fear of judgement from others. I often now start the conversation with someone new by saying I have a stammer so bear with me, and I’ve found there is so much more acceptance from others.

If you have started to stammer in adulthood, the Adults New to Stammering Online Support Group is a great place to meet others.