Background: Stuttering, affecting approximately 5% of children, disrupts speech flow and poses challenges to psychosocial development. Its complex origins involve genetic, neurological, environmental, and psychological factors. This study aims to explore the potential link between stuttering in preschoolers and Vitamin D(VD) deficiency, a relatively unexplored area.
Objectives: To study the association between stuttering in preschool-aged children and insufficient VD levels (specifically, 25-hydroxy cholecalciferol) in order to assign vitamin D deficiency as contributing factor for stuttering occurrence.
Patients and Methods: A case-control study was conducted on 36 preschool Arabic-speaking children aged 4-6 years, employing a 2:1 design with 24 stutterers and 12 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Stuttering severity was assessed using The Arabic Stuttering Severity Index, and serum vitamin D levels were evaluated using 25-hydroxy cholecalciferol.
Results: Results indicated a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children who stutter compared to controls, though no statistically significant difference was found in the distribution of vitamin D classifications between the two groups. Additionally, there was a non-significant association between Arabic Stuttering Severity Index categories and vitamin D categories among children who stutter. Severe stuttering cases exhibited higher rates of vitamin D deficiency compared to insufficient levels, and a statistically significant negative correlation was observed between vitamin D levels and Arabic Stuttering Severity Index score valuess.
Conclusion: Stuttering is a common health concern, particularly among preschool-aged children. Lower vitamin D levels were observed in children who stuttered compared to controls, suggesting a potential link. Initial findings hint at an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and stuttering severity. These results underscore the importance of further research to elucidate the role of vitamin D in stuttering.