'You don't suffer from a stammer, you rock it!'

Ten-year-old Sam has a stammer, but he doesn't see it as a disadvantage.

Newsround caught up with him to learn about the amazing poem he wrote, which raises awareness about stammers.

Sam is hoping to teach people about stammers for International Stammering Awareness Day, which is on 22 October 2020.

What does it mean to have a stammer?

People who have a stammer often find it hard to get across what they want to say.

A stammer is a way if talking where sounds or words are repeated or get stuck.

A stammer is a not a 'weakness' or a 'defect', it's just a stammer!

Who does it affect?

Stammering is more common in boys than girls, and around one in 20 children under the age of 12 in the UK will have a stammer at some point.

There are lots of different speech and language therapists who can help people with stammers and teach them techniques to speak more confidently.

10-year-old Sam has a stammer, he decided to write a poem about it to raise awareness about them.

Sam wanted to help people understand how they should and shouldn't react to someone who has a stammer.

The poem had a great response from people and was even picked up by four of Sam's local newspapers.

Sam's top tips for talking to someone who has a stammer

1) Don't interrupt someone

2) Don't finish their sentence

3) Be patient and give people lots of time

You can read Sam's brilliant poem below:

I have a stammer

I have a stammer

It's a part of me

My words can get stuck

And they don't flow free

It doesn't mean I'm shy

I'm not weak or scared

Sometimes my words

Are just hard to be heard

The words are right there

On the tip of my tongue

They often get stuck

And my pauses are long

Sometimes I repeat

A sound or a word

This makes it hard

For my voice to be heard

I ask you to wait

Be patient and smile

My words will come out

But It may take a while

Don't finish my sentence

Don't laugh and don't stare

Just give me some time

And show me you care

The more I relax

I want you to know

I feel more confident

And the easier they flow

I am important too

My opinions still matter

I just struggle to keep up

With the flow of the chatter

Be happy being you

And that is the key

I have a stammer

It's what makes me, Me