Which condition is characterized by interruptions in the flow of speech?

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder is characterized by interruptions in the flow of speech, often manifesting as stuttering or disfluent speech patterns. Individuals with this condition may experience blocks, repetitions, or prolongations of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases, which can disrupt the smoothness of conversation. This disorder typically arises during early childhood, and while it can persist into adulthood for some individuals, many can improve with therapy or time. The DSM-5-TR specifically emphasizes that these disruptions can lead to stress and anxiety in speaking situations, making it a significant concern in social and academic settings.

In contrast, Global Developmental Delay describes a significant delay in multiple developmental domains, without necessarily focusing on speech fluency. Intellectual Developmental Disorder entails limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, but it does not specifically refer to speech flow issues. Speech Sound Disorder is primarily concerned with difficulties producing speech sounds correctly, rather than the flow or rhythm of speech itself. Therefore, Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder is the only option that directly addresses interruptions in speech flow.