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The Daily Insight

Can concussions cause stuttering?

Author

Robert Guerrero

Updated on March 02, 2026

Conclusions: The ease with which we found so many reports of stuttering after head injury with concussive symptoms confirms that new-onset stuttering may be a symptom of concussion.

Moreover, can a head injury cause stuttering?

A stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other brain disorders can cause speech that is slow or has pauses or repeated sounds (neurogenic stuttering). Speech difficulties that appear after an emotional trauma (psychogenic stuttering) are uncommon and not the same as developmental stuttering.

Subsequently, question is, can concussions cause speech problems? Common in falls, sports, and car crashes, concussions temporarily affect the brain causing confusion and problems with memory, speech, vision, or balance. The person may appear fine at first but may show symptoms hours or days later. If untreated, repeated concussions can have severe outcomes.

Keeping this in consideration, how long does stuttering last after a concussion?

In most people, symptoms occur within the first seven to 10 days and go away within three months. Sometimes, they can persist for a year or more. The goal of treatment after concussion is to effectively manage your symptoms.

What causes stuttering all of a sudden?

A sudden stutter can be caused by a number of things: brain trauma, epilepsy, drug abuse (particularly heroin), chronic depression or even attempted suicide using barbiturates, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Related Question Answers

Is Stuttering a sign of intelligence?

Among the things researchers do know about stuttering is that it's not caused by emotional or psychological problems. It's not a sign of low intelligence. The average stutterer's IQ is 14 points higher than the national average. Stuttering can, however, be made worse by anxiety or stress.

What is the difference between stuttering and stammering?

Is There a Difference Between a Stutter and a Stammer? Stammering is also known as stuttering. It is a common issue in children and can continue into adulthood. Stuttering may develop gradually, but sometimes it starts suddenly in a child who has been speaking well.

What drugs can cause stuttering?

Just finding a few pages through books.google.com uncovered several drugs with possible side affects of stuttering including:
  • Sertraline (Zoloft)
  • Risperidone.
  • Clozapine.
  • Theophylline.
  • Prochlorperazine.
  • Methylphenidate.
  • Pemoline.
  • Levodopa.

Can stuttering be neurological?

Neurogenic stuttering typically appears following some sort of injury or disease to the central nervous system i.e. the brain and spinal cord, including cortex, subcortex, cerebellar, and even the neural pathway regions. These injuries or diseases include: Cerebrovascular accident (stroke), with or without aphasia.

Does stuttering go away?

Stuttering is a form of dysfluency (dis-FLOO-en-see), an interruption in the flow of speech. In many cases, stuttering goes away on its own by age 5. In some kids, it goes on for longer. Effective treatments are available to help a child overcome it.

Does stuttering get worse with age?

Stuttering risk factors If a young child has a stutter and also a close family member who stutters, their chances of that speech disorder continuing are much greater. Age when stutter starts – a child who starts stuttering before 3.5 years of age is less likely to stutter later in life.

How does stuttering affect the brain?

Summary: A new study demonstrates that regional cerebral blood flow is reduced in the Broca's area -- the region in the frontal lobe of the brain linked to speech production -- in persons who stutter. More severe stuttering is associated with even greater reductions in blood flow to this region.

Does singing help stuttering?

Singing, in particular, has been identified as having important therapeutic potential, and research has provided evidence in favor of this approach for enhancing fluency among individuals who stutter.

What does concussion feel like?

Signs and symptoms of concussion a headache that doesn't go away or isn't relieved with painkillers. dizziness. feeling sick or vomiting. memory loss – you may not remember what happened before or after the injury.

How do you know when your concussion is gone?

While you still have symptoms (like a headache, trouble seeing well, or changes in mood), you'll need to limit yourself to staying home to sleep or sit quietly. When all your symptoms are gone, you should return to physical activities slowly. Rest your mind.

What does concussion headache feel like?

Throbbing pain is often felt on one side of the head, and may be accompanied by nausea, stomach pain, and sensitivity to light and other stimuli. There may be several stages, with symptoms like flashing lights that precede the onset of the headache, and other symptoms like fatigue after the headache.

What happens if a concussion goes untreated?

If a concussion is left untreated, many of these symptoms will persist. Sensitivity to light, sore eyes, and blurry vision are all common, as are headaches, fatigue, and interrupted sleep, which could lead to emotional and cognitive issues.

How long does a minor concussion last?

In general, symptoms of a concussion should resolve in two weeks. Some people have symptoms for longer — up to three months. If symptoms don't resolve after three months. Concussive symptoms typically resolve in 7 to 10 days (sports-related concussions) or within 3 months (non-athletes) (Epps and Allen, 2017).

Can a concussion get worse?

In post-concussion syndrome symptoms persist longer than would be expected from the nature of the injury. They often get WORSE over time whereas symptoms directly related to a head injury are worst at the beginning and slowly improve.

What are the 4 categories of concussion symptoms?

For example, the most common physical symptoms of a concussion include headache, blurry vision, nausea, vomiting and balance problems.

Concussion symptoms fit into four categories:

  • Thinking and remembering.
  • Physical.
  • Emotional and mood.
  • Sleep.

How long do Concussions take to heal?

In most cases, concussion recovery takes about 7 to 10 days . However, if you don't get enough rest or follow your doctor's recommendations, recovery may take a bit longer. Learn more about how long concussions last. In addition, some people develop a condition called post-concussion syndrome.

What are the long term side effects of a concussion?

Long Term Effects of a Concussion
  • Trouble concentrating.
  • Memory problems.
  • Irritability and other personality changes.
  • Sensitivity to light and noise.
  • Sleep disturbances.
  • Depression and other psychological problems.
  • Disorders of smell and taste.

What is a danger sign of a concussion?

Dangerous Signs & Symptoms of a Concussion One pupil larger than the other. Drowsiness or inability to wake up. A headache that gets worse and does not go away. Slurred speech, weakness, numbness, or decreased coordination. Repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures (shaking or twitching).

Can the brain heal itself after a concussion?

Some symptoms may appear right away, while others may not show up for days or weeks after the concussion. Because all brain injuries are different, so is concussion recovery. Most people with mild injuries recover fully, but it can take time.

Why is a concussion dangerous?

If someone suffers enough concussions, the nerves may never fully heal. People who get concussions over and over again can develop a disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy which causes the brain to break down, leading to memory loss, depression, and even dementia.

Are concussions permanent?

Even mild concussions should not be taken lightly. Neurosurgeons and other brain injury experts emphasize that although some concussions are less serious than others, there is no such thing as a minor concussion. In most cases, a single concussion should not cause permanent damage.

What is a Grade 3 concussion?

Concussions are graded as mild (grade 1), moderate (grade 2), or severe (grade 3), depending on such factors as loss of consciousness, amnesia, and loss of equilibrium. In a grade 3 concussion, the person loses consciousness, sometimes just for a few seconds.

How many concussions is too many?

Second, the research doesn't clearly define three concussions as this elusive "line in the sand." Research on multiple concussions is typically defined as three or more concussions so that group often includes subjects who have suffered significantly more than three concussions.

How long do Grade 3 concussions last?

There is no loss of consciousness. With a grade 2 concussion, there is no loss of consciousness but symptoms last longer than 15 minutes. In a grade 3 concussion, the person loses consciousness, sometimes just for a few seconds.

Can a mild concussion cause permanent damage?

Even mild concussions should not be taken lightly. Neurosurgeons and other brain injury experts emphasize that although some concussions are less serious than others, there is no such thing as a minor concussion. In most cases, a single concussion should not cause permanent damage.

Is stuttering due to anxiety?

Research shows that stuttering is not a mental health diagnosis, and anxiety is not the root cause of stuttering. Anxiety can, however, make stuttering worse. This can create a vicious feedback loop in which a person fears stuttering, causing them to stutter more.

Is Stuttering a sign of stress?

However, psychological factors may make stuttering worse for people who already stutter. In other words, anxiety, low self-esteem, nervousness, and stress do not cause stuttering; rather, they are the result of living with a stigmatized speech problem, which can sometimes make symptoms worse.

How do you fix stuttering?

Coping and support
  1. Listen attentively to your child.
  2. Wait for your child to say the word he or she is trying to say.
  3. Set aside time when you can talk to your child without distractions.
  4. Speak slowly, in an unhurried way.
  5. Take turns talking.
  6. Strive for calm.
  7. Don't focus on your child's stuttering.

Why is my stutter coming back?

Developmental stuttering is common in children between the ages of two and six, but the child will most likely outgrow it or saw an SLP to resolve it. Later on in life this stutter can come back unexpectedly. You have spoken the same for so long and some added pressure or other reason could make the stutter reappear.

Why Am I stuttering so much lately?

It used to be believed that the main reasons for long-term stuttering were psychological. In other words, anxiety, low self-esteem, nervousness, and stress do not cause stuttering; rather, they are the result of living with a stigmatized speech problem, which can sometimes make symptoms worse.

Can ADHD cause stuttering?

Stuttering and ADHD Little is known about the specific characteristics of stuttering in children with ADHD other than the fact that the patterns of disfluencies are consistent with those of children who stutter who do not have ADHD.

What causes stuttering in adulthood?

A stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other brain disorders can cause speech that is slow or has pauses or repeated sounds (neurogenic stuttering). Speech fluency can also be disrupted in the context of emotional distress. These situations may also cause speakers who stutter to be less fluent.

When should I be concerned about stuttering?

Anyone can stutter at any age. But it's most common among children who are learning to form words into sentences. And boys are more likely than girls to stutter. Normal language dysfluency often starts between the ages of 18 and 24 months and tends to come and go up to the age of 5.