What is Cluttering?
Cluttering is a fluency disorder characterized by a rate that is perceived to be abnormally rapid, irregular, or both. It involves a difficulty with the timing, motor coordination and language planning aspects of speech. It also includes at least one, but possibly more of the following characteristics:
1) an excessive number of typical (non-stuttered) dysfluencies. Typical dysfluencies include single words used as fillers such as um, uh, and, like, repetition of phrases and sentences, re-starting a sentence or a thought.
2) Excessive collapsing, telescoping, co-articulating, or deleting of syllables. Collapsing syllables means reducing the number of syllables that are present in a word; telescoping is the collapsing or deletion of syllables as a consequence of a too high speech rate; co-articulating refers to changing the articulation of a speech sound due to its proximity to another speech sound (becoming more like that speech sound in some way); deleting syllables refers to the dropping of a syllable altogether.
3) Abnormal pausing, syllable stress, or speech rhythm.
Helpful Cluttering Websites
Too Fast for Words: Information about cluttering, how it is different from stuttering, and treatment options.
International Cluttering Association: Website for the International Cluttering Association, an organization that provides information and training for people who clutter, and professionals who work with people who clutter.
The Stuttering Foundation-Cluttering Information: Basic information about cluttering.