Cluttering

Cluttering is a fluency disorder that affects how clearly and smoothly a person speaks. It involves rapid or irregular speech, unusual pauses, and language formulation issues. People with cluttering might not be aware of their speech problems, which can lead to breaks in clarity and fluency. Cluttering can occur alone or alongside stuttering.

Schedule an appointment with one of our Speech Language Therapists today to discover how we can help you.

Fluency and clarity issues may arise due to:

Unexpected Pauses

Pauses in places where they don’t usually belong, like “I will go to the / store and buy apples.”

Syllable Deletion

Leaving out parts of words, such as saying “I wanwatevision” instead of “I want to watch television.”

Excessive Disfluencies

Frequent use of filler words like “um” or “uh.”

Frequent Topic Shifting

Jumping from one topic to another without finishing thoughts.

Omitting Word Endings

For example, saying “Turn the televisoff” instead of “Turn the television off.”

Cluttering can also affect social interactions because individuals might not notice or correct their speech disruptions.

If your child is suffering from any of these conditions, do not hesitate to
contact Perfect Balance Speech & Language Therapy for help.

Signs and Symptoms of Cluttering

Children with cluttering might:

Collapse or omit syllables and word endings.
Use excessive filler words like “um.”
Have atypical pauses that disrupt the flow of sentences.
Speak rapidly or irregularly, making it hard for listeners to understand.
Show unusual speech patterns due to misplaced pauses.

People who clutter often speak faster than their brain can process, leading to speech and clarity issues.
They might also experience anxiety or negative feelings about communication, similar to those with stuttering.

Schedule an appointment with one of our Speech Language Therapists today to discover how we can help you.

Causes and Neurological Factors

Research on cluttering is limited, but some studies suggest differences in brain activity in people who clutter. These differences might involve areas of the brain responsible for speech production and self-regulation.

Risk Factors for Cluttering

While specific risk factors are not well-defined, potential factors include:

Gender: Cluttering is more common in males.
Family History: Cluttering may run in families.
Co-occurring Disorders: Conditions like autism, Tourette’s syndrome, or ADHD may increase the risk of cluttering.
Stuttering: About one-third of people who stutter also exhibit cluttering.

Treatment for Cluttering

The main idea behind treating cluttering is to help individuals slow down their speech. Strategies that can help include:

Increased Pausing: Taking more pauses while speaking to improve fluency and clarity.
Speech Rate Regulation: Techniques to help control the speed of speech.
Awareness of Communication Breakdowns: Helping individuals recognize when their speech is unclear and how to fix it.

Other strategies might involve overemphasizing multisyllabic words and maintaining a steady volume throughout speech.

Understanding and addressing cluttering early can make a big difference in your child’s communication skills. If you are concerned or have questions, feel free to reach out to one of our SLTs at Perfect Balance. Early intervention and support can help your child develop clearer and more effective communication.

Request an appointment to improve speech and communication skills.

Our Speech Therapy center in Abu Dhabi can help enhance language abilities, articulation, and
social communication, empowering you to communicate confidently and effectively!

Schedule a consultation with Perfect Balance Speech & Language Therapy today, and
take the first step on your child’s journey to better communication!

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