“Hello.”
For some students, this basic greeting leads to pounding hearts and shaking hands as they prepare to articulate, syllables tangling into knots. When they finally let go and allow their syllables to glitch, each consonant echoes in their soul like a lost connection as they struggle to find their voice. For most, saying “hello” is a simple introduction, rolling right off the tongue with ease and clarity. But for others, it is the biggest obstacle standing between fluency and real connection, feeling more like a trapdoor than a conversation.
Speech impediments are common in the U.S., yet they still face wide misconceptions. Experts at the Cleveland Clinic estimate that about 10% of the total U.S. population stutters. According to the American Psychiatric Association, about 25% of children who stutter will continue to have problems into adulthood. The common misconception that children will outgrow stuttering is dangerous, as this myth delays crucial early intervention and leads to lifelong challenges. Disfluency, which is an involuntary disruption in the flow of speech, does not disappear in high school, but the understanding of it often does. Speech disorders are hidden disabilities that directly affect many students, and they need to be met with equal support.
A hidden disability, as defined by the National Institutes of Health, is a physical, mental, or neurological impairment that is not immediately obvious to others, yet still limits daily life. At a CNN town hall in 2020, former president Joe Biden — who struggles with a stutter himself — provided his own insight into the topic.
“Stuttering, when you think about it, is the only handicap that people still laugh about. That [they] still humiliate people about. And they don’t even mean to,” Biden said.
The first step toward increasing visibility is educating students about a school’s speech pathology department. Many do not know it exists, making stuttering even more invisible. NHS speech language pathologist Drewe Palmer works with students on social skills, including language and vocabulary development, as well as articulation. She says that this lack of awareness can impact students’ confidence.
“There’s always that fear for some students. They may think, ‘What are people going to think if I’m going to speech therapy soon?’” Palmer said. “That can cause a barrier for them or impact their self-confidence.”
The emotional effects of stuttering on children can be severe. Simple tasks like introductions, answering the phone, or ordering meals can be both frustrating and embarrassing. A study from Minnesota State University found that “35% of school-aged kids have been teased or bullied at some time. With those who stutter, that statistic rises to a whopping 82%.” Speech differences can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and loneliness, especially in teenagers. Teachers and students should acknowledge this impact and foster a safe space in their schools. NHS speech language pathologist Stacey Millikan encourages students to embrace their differences and advocate for themselves.
“People are different, and that’s okay,” Millikan said. “Letting people know about the differences we have is good because the more you know, the more you can learn from it, accept it, and maybe find a lot of value in it too.”
A future where speech impediments are understood as hidden disabilities starts with how students treat one another. Teenagers who stutter aren’t asking for special treatment – they’re simply asking to be seen. It takes immense courage to speak up in class when every word feels like a risk, and that courage deserves patience and compassion. Schools must foster a supportive environment where students who stutter don’t feel the need to hide their disability because, in the chaos of high school, everyone is just trying to find their voice.
“Just treat them like any other student. Be willing to listen to everybody. Don’t make any judgments, don’t talk over them, and don’t assume anything,” Millikan said. “It really just boils down to being a good person and a good listener to everyone.”
