An adolescent who stutters accompanied by social anxiety disorder

Abstract

More than 40 percent of adults who stutter also present with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Patients who have SAD not only demonstrate anxiety toward talking with people but also exhibit great difficulty in their social life. We report a 16-year-old adolescent who refused to attend his high school classes for two months due to anxiety toward reading aloud. He took a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor but absented himself from classes involving reading aloud. We wrote a letter to the school and he underwent stuttering therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy. He soon returned to his classes. People who suffer from stuttering accompanied by social anxiety disorder should not only take medication but also consult a speech language pathologist.