Hay Fever is Associated with Prevalence, Age of Onset and Persistence of Stuttering

Abstract

Objectives
Atopic diseases and adverse childhood experiences are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders including developmental stuttering. This study examined the associations between these factors and lifetime prevalence, age of onset, and persistence of developmental stuttering.
Methods
Data from 4874 participants (2264 men and 2610 women) from the PsyCoLaus study were used. Prevalence, age of onset, and persistence of stuttering were investigated through univariate, bivariate, and regression analyses.
Results
Regression analyses indicated that hay fever, gender, familial aggregation, and fear of punishment by parents were associated with stuttering onset in childhood with odds ratios (OR) of 2–3. Hay fever was associated with an earlier onset of stuttering (difference of 1.5 years, p = .001). Moreover, early onset of stuttering (OR = 0.8, p = .009) and hay fever (OR = 9.2, p = .002) predicted whether stuttering persisted.
Conclusions
This study suggests that immunological imbalances related to atopic diseases such as hay fever and adverse childhood experiences are also related to stuttering. The importance of this link is emphasized by the fact that hay fever is also associated with age of onset and persistence of stuttering.