ABSTRACT
In the vast majority of cases stuttering arises in childhood, most usually preschool and apparently without any physical reason. While such developmental stuttering (DS) may persist into adulthood, the onset of stuttering amongst the adult population is comparatively rare and can be identified in one of two forms: neurogenic stuttering (NS) which arises due to damage to the nervous system, or psychogenic stuttering (PS) which can arise following a traumatic experience. Some clinicians also argue for a third subcategory occult stuttering (see below). While the subtypes of acquired stuttering are now accepted as recognized forms of fluency disorders, opinion differs as to the extent these versions of stuttering are behaviourally related to the developmental condition, and how best these acquired disorders should be managed clinically. Compared with DS, acquired versions have been little studied and the data that exists is somewhat patchy. Some have claimed that acquired disfluency must be viewed pathophysiologically and dealt with therapeutically as distinctly different from the developmental condition.
