Periods of stammering may occur during development. Which is true?

• A. Stammering is never related to development.
• B. Periods of stammering may occur during development.
• C. Stammering always indicates a serious problem.
• D. Stammering only occurs after age five.

Answer: (B)

During early language development, speech patterns are still forming, so brief periods of stammering can be a normal part of growing into fluent speech. Many children experience moments of repetition, prolongation, or hesitation as they expand vocabulary and learn to string words into longer sentences. This kind of disfluency often resolves on its own as the child’s speech and motor planning mature. It’s not a sign of a serious problem by itself, especially if the disfluency is infrequent and short-lived. The concern arises when disfluency lasts for months, worsens, or is accompanied by visible struggle, tension, or avoidance of speaking. Onset commonly occurs between ages two and five, though it can happen earlier, and it does not exclusively appear after age five. So the statement that periods of stammering may occur during development is true.