Have you heard of the speech disorder of cluttering?

Question

I'm someone who's a clutterer, and I've noticed that not many people have heard about it. Maybe my question should be, "How prevalent is knowledge about the speech disorder of cluttering?"

It sounds a little like stuttering, but it sounds more like word confusion, nervous speech, or repeating the initial part of the sentence over and over again. Sometimes kids do this naturally until about five and then the children outgrow speaking like this.

Maybe people know it by different names than cluttered speech, like maybe they're calling it stuttered speech or something else.

I'm wondering what percentage of people out there know about cluttering in any way.

Answer 1

I learned about cluttering when I was doing research on stuttering to learn how to help my family members who stutter. We got wonderful information from The Stuttering Foundation of America - check out this page of their web site: http://www.stutteringhelp.org/DeskLeftDefault.aspx?TabID=82

Answer 2

MY SON DID THIS!!
I don't remember the doctor or teachers calling in cluttering though -- I'm not familiar with that term (and I'm a nurse).

He would repeat the same word at the beginning of his sentence - not stuttering - just repeating and then finish the sentence. Initially it was kind of cute, then it became annoying, THEN we thought we had a problem.

It was explained to me that his mind knows WHAT he wants to say, but until he knew what the words were, he would repeat the first word(s). In other words - word finding difficulty - which is normal for a young age because they may be familiar with the words used when OTHERS say them, but for them to pull them out of their own vocabulary is more difficult. In order to keep the attention of the listener, they repeat the first word(s).

"Cluttering" sounds like an excellent term for what's going on in their developing brains. This is the first time I've heard the term.

As for adults having this problem, I've never encountered it, but in my aging mind (and diminishing memory), I've discovered I too, sometimes have word-finding difficulty, however, I usually just stop talking or say "oh, what is that word?" -- yes, sometimes I repeat the first words, but not always.

Thanks for the info -- I've learned something new today.

Is this something you've lived with all your life? or perhaps a result of an injury or stroke? Is there treatment for it? My husband takes some kind of supplement called "focus" -- some herbal remedy at GNC -- he says it really helps him with doing his college courses. I wonder if that is something that would be of benefit. (just curious)

Answer 3

Yes I have heard of cluttering, but I'm a speech therapist so that might be cheating.

Answer 4

Yes, it's a disorder having to do with the fluency of speech, very unlike stuttering. Not the same at all.

Answer 5

Yes, I have heard of it. I know someone who was diagnosed as a clutterer. I read more about it at www.stutteringhelp.org.

Answer 6

My son does that, but I did not know there was an official term.. I just tell him to think out what he is going to say, and say it slowly..Works well.

Answer 7

I have heard of it but don't know anyone with it nor exactly what it is.