When did you realize you stuttered?

[Silent]

As strange as it may sound, I didn't know I stuttered until age 21, and I had stuttered severely since I was 8.

Sure I knew I couldn't speak, but it didn't occur to me it's what was referred to as stuttering. Perhaps because my stutter was so different from others'.
I didn't repeat syllables; I didn't make any sounds at all, unless I knew I could say the entire word fluently. Upon the first sign of a difficulty I would just give up speaking and act like what I was trying to say was unimportant. My mom took me to all kinds of doctors, SLPs, psychologists, psychiatrists, etc. and none of them diagnosed it as stuttering.

When I was 21, I had a turning point and did a lot of googling and reading up and it became apparent that my problem was stuttering indeed, just a rare variety.
My stuttering has changed a lot since then.

[cjm555]

i found out at around the age of 5 when i started school... i think... my parents didnt realy know, like you said, it was called anything. they just thought i couldnt talk

[Box of Clocks]

It is quite strange that you didn't realise you stuttered until so late despite doing it from an early age. As you said though you do seem to have a unique caee of stuttering so I guess that is why you didn't realise.

I started stuttering at around about age 8 but it was fairly mild at this point only to become more severe as I got older.

[JDRow]

I realized that talking was hard for me and not for other people when I was pretty young, probably before I started school. I don't really remember when I knew what I was doing was stuttering. Probably when I was in first or second grade.

[emily445455]

Grade school.

[sst]

I've known I stuttered as far back as I can remember, or at least since I started pre-school. I remember in the late 80's being in speech therapy. I guess even remembering that makes me feel old hehe.

[grantM]

I was completely fluent and stutter free until somewhere between 8-9 years old. I remember the day vividly when I stuttered for the first time and blocked.

[justthere]

i first remember stuttering when i was about 4 or 5. i would repeat syllables. my older brothers would make fun of me.

[AstralMystic]

I don't recall the first time I stuttered, but I do know it was at age seven. The first real memory I have of it though is being part of a church Christmas play at that same age. I was doing a part in rehearsal with involved holding up dome kind of paper card and saying a couple lines, or something like that. So, I of course stuttered time and again, while trying to say my line. Our director decided to trade me with another child and give me a part with no lines. I recall being very mad about that. I always just thought at that age that I was just another person, like anyone else. I knew of course that I was different, but only in some lesser form of understanding did I really realize that. I think I got to about age 20 or so with that whole attitude of not really understanding why I seemed different than other people. I never really though of myself as having the label, "stutterer" I just had the label, "person," LOL. Even during times in my life where I was constantly reminded of it, it never really seemed to be something to be noticed so much.

[Geoff]

I didn't start till about age 15. I have no idea why it suddenly started.

[grantM]

I didn't start till about age 15. I have no idea why it suddenly started.

Yes and that is why we must try to understand this switch that occurs in some stutterers.

[needausername]

I have stuttered for as long as I can remember.

[nate]

When I was 21, I had a turning point and did a lot of googling and reading up and it became apparent that my problem was stuttering indeed, just a rare variety.
My stuttering has changed a lot since then.

how has it changed?
Nate

[Mike85]

Since I was 5 years old I have realized it. Back then alot of kids in my class made fun of it. But after my teacher gave a 'presentation' about stuttering in front of my class that stopped.

[Zachary]

I've never had a "realization" point, stuttering has always been with me. To me, its normal.

However, I did not realize I was at such a disadvantage until around age 18. That is when I began to realize the effects stuttering would have on my life. I went through a brief phase of hating everyone and everything, then I got over it.

[happy7117]

At age 8 I think. In the 1st grade. I did not fail 1st grade. I got held back.

[Pirhana]

Apparently my teacher called up my parents to tell them i stuttered when I was about 6... I remember going to speech therapy and having to carry around a picture of a mouth the whole time - no idea what that was supposed to do!

First time I actually remember stuttering was aged about 6 in primary school - the teacher used to go through the register and ask what drink we were having for lunch - i always used to say 'no thank you' as i knew I couldn't say blackcurrent or orange squash... Avoidance starts young!! ;)

[Schizzo]

My mother says I stutter since I started to talk, but I only realized it when the first day of classes started. When said my name, some kids started to laugh and I didn't knew why until someone asked me: Why don't you talk normally?

Then I realized I was different...

[spacebow]

Well the first time I stuttered was at age 10. Then I finally realized that I had developed a speech impediment at age 13. I'm currently 17, so I had been fluent for over half my life thus far.

It sucks harder for me because I know exactly how it felt like to be fluent. I'd give almost anything to go back in time and experience how it felt to speak effortlessly again.

[grantM]

It sucks harder for me because I know exactly how it felt like to be fluent. I'd give almost anything to go back in time and experience how it felt to speak effortlessly again.


I am in your camp friend. I was completely fluent until the age of 8-9ish. I remember the exact day and situation where I first stuttered. Man if only I could go back and look at what happened and try to understand it.

[FearNoOne68]

I realized I had a problem in the sixth grade when the teacher called on me to answer a question.I blocked severely,embarrased the heck outa me.