Is stammering associated with particular social and economic backgrounds?

No, stammering affects people of all races, ethnicities, genders and socio-economic classes.

Stammering is estimated to occur in 5% - 8% of children, and approximately 1% of adults, worldwide. Stammering may be viewed and assessed differently across different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

Access to services can vary for individuals who stammer, which may be due a number of demographic and public health factors. Researchers point to a more indirect association between socio-economic background and stammering, in that families from lower socio-economic backgrounds may face challenges in accessing the necessary support and treatment for their child's stammer.

The focus should be on providing support and intervention to all individuals who stammer, regardless of their social or economic background. As a charity, we are working hard to try to improve equality of access to specialist services for those families who need it.