Overview
- About 1% of Germany’s population—more than 800,000 people, with a roughly 4:1 male‑to‑female ratio—are affected, according to the BVSS.
- A Nature Genetics study identified 57 genomic loci tied to stuttering across 48 genes using large self‑report cohorts, but the causes remain unresolved.
- Study lead Jennifer Below notes that why people stutter is still not understood, while neurologist Martin Sommer questions the survey’s broad wording and cites white‑matter differences in the left hemisphere.
- Stuttering usually starts between ages two and six, and therapists urge evaluation when children show struggle behaviors, avoidance, shame or withdrawal.
- Treatments include stuttering modification and fluency shaping, and experts recommend patient, non‑corrective listening that lets speakers finish without prompts.