International Stuttering Awareness Day is a holiday observed on October 22nd every year, which aims to raise awareness about disruptions in speech patterns and to garner support for individuals who stutter.

Stuttering affects approximately 1% of the world’s population, and contrary to popular belief, there is no cure for it. However, effective treatments for stuttering help those suffering from this communication disorder to normalize their speech.

This day hopes to eliminate societal discrimination against those who stutter, promote programs that assist people in managing their stuttering, and build a community where speech professionals can collaborate and develop new treatments for stuttering.

The History of International Stuttering Awareness Day

The holiday was initiated by the International Stuttering Association (ISA) in Sweden in 1995 to raise awareness about stuttering, assist speech communication professionals in brainstorming new treatments, and support individuals who stutter. Although the ISA originally proposed this holiday at the conference, it did not become official until a few years later.

In 1997, during an International Fluency Conference in California, USA, a day was dedicated for speech professionals to learn from those who stutter. Michael Sugarman, co-founder of the National Stuttering Project, announced that there would be an international day for stuttering awareness.

The following year, the International Stuttering Association, the European League of Stuttering Associations, and the International Fluency Association designated October 22nd as International Stuttering Awareness Day, which has been observed on this date ever since.

Important Facts About Stuttering

Below are some important facts about stuttering that we believe everyone should know, especially those observing International Stuttering Awareness Day.

• Stuttering is a speech pattern that involves disruptions in a person’s speech.
• Stuttering can start gradually and develop over time, or it can appear suddenly.
• Stuttering usually begins between the ages of 2 and 5 years old.
• As many as 8 out of 10 children who stutter will stop suddenly.
• Young children who continue to stutter into their school-age years are likely to continue stuttering throughout their lives.

Observing International Stuttering Awareness Day

Globally, there are conferences and other events in support of International Stuttering Awareness Day. These include media campaigns, educational activities, seminars, webinars, and public awareness events.

This is an excellent day for people to educate themselves about stuttering, share their experiences with stuttering, or confront those who mock stuttering. It’s also a good day to spread the word about the myriad of programs available for individuals with a stuttering problem. This can be done easily by using the hashtag #InternationalStutteringAwarenessDay on social media.