postr/StutterMay 29, 2020

Do you view stuttering as a "disorder" or a "difference"?

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Do you view stuttering as a "disorder" or a "difference"? I was on a zoom chat recently with a speech-language pathologist (who doesn't stutter) that is make a film on stutterers. He says that he preferred the term "communication difference" for stuttering, rather than "communication disorder". I'm wondering what you all think. Here is my opinion though: I get that there is a less negative connotation with saying "difference", but how is it not a disorder? A difference would be like an accent or particular grammar or something. You're still able to communicate, just in a different way. I don't see how stuttering would not be considered a disorder. If I can't say my own name when I introduce myself, how is that just a "different way of communicating". It's not. I feel like it's akin to saying someone on a wheelchair just walks differently. Sure they can usually get from point A to point B like everyone else, but if there are stairs then there's a problem. Just like we can sometimes say entire sentences without stuttering, but then some words are like stairs for those on a wheelchair. We just can't get past them. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong on this. I actually didn't speak up on the zoom chat because I wanted to think about this more deeply before saying anything. What do you all think? ​ TL;DR: Do you view stuttering as a communication "disorder" or "difference"? I view it as a disorder, but am open to other viewpoints.

Themes

Identity & Disability

Subthemes

Medicalization / Neurodiversity