Despite being in existence for centuries, there is still a lot of misinformation and misconceptions about stuttering. Such misunderstandings can often directly impact the lives of people who stutter and affect their everyday activities, personal relationships and career prospects.

Therefore, it is important to clarify the different aspects of stuttering and ensure that the general public is properly informed and has a better understanding about it.

In order to help with that, here are five key facts about stuttering everyone should know:

• Stuttering is not only the repetition of syllables or words, it’s also characterised by the prolongation of sounds and silent blocks before and/or between words.
• People who stutter know exactly what they want to say but can’t always control their speech.
• Stuttering is neither psychological nor the result of emotional trauma. Despite centuries of research, the causes of stuttering remain unclear.
• Stuttering is not a sign of low intelligence. It does not reflect a persons’ intellectual capacity. In fact, many professionals who stutter have incredibly successful careers.
• Situations of stress and anxiety can increase stuttering but they are not its cause.