Fluency Disorders Overview

Fluency

Forward, continuous flow of speech

Dysfluency

Interruptions in speech flow

Typical disfluencies

Phrase repetitions, revisions, interjections

Stuttering

High frequency/duration stoppages in speech flow

Repetitions

Sound, syllable, or word repetitions exceeding three

Prolongations

Sound held for over one second

Blocks

Gap longer than one second between sounds

Secondary behaviors

Actions to control stuttering movements

Escape behaviors

Attempts to finish a word/sentence

Avoidance behaviors

Learned behaviors anticipating stuttering

Childhood-Onset Fluency Disorder

Stuttering onset between 2-6 years old, more in males

Prevalence

Occurs in about 1% of the population

Conditions increasing stuttering

Pressure, stress, speaking on the phone

Conditions decreasing stuttering

Singing, delayed auditory feedback, less stress

Biological considerations

Part of stuttering causes discussion

Risk factors for stuttering

Gender, family history, weak phonological abilities

Cluttering

Rapid, irregular speech with excessive disfluencies

Neurogenic stuttering

Acquired stuttering in adults with brain injuries

Psychogenic stuttering

Fluency disorder from stress or trauma in adults

Assessment of young children

Determines speech/fluency disorder presence

Assessment of school-aged children

Focuses on stuttering severity, impacts

Assessment of older individuals

Evaluates stuttering effects on daily life

Treatment considerations

Client, clinical, environmental variables

Treatment of young children

Indirect/operant approaches, parent involvement