Stuttering, sometimes called stammering or dysfluency, is a disruption in the normal patterns of speech. It can take many forms. For example, someone who stutters might repeat a sound or a syllable, especially at the beginning of the word, such as "li- li- like." It can also manifest as a prolongation of a sound such as "ssssssee." Sometimes stuttering involves the complete stoppage of speech or the omission of a sound. Or it can be the repeated interruption of speech with sounds such as "uh" or "um."