Stuttering Flashcards
Stuttering is a
Neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a disruption in the transition between sounds, syllables, and words
What causes stuttering?
Stuttering is multifactorial (i.e., a result of constitutional, developmental, and environmental factors)
Constitutional: age, gender, family history
Developmental: emotion, language, executive functions
Environmental: maternal use of alcohol/drugs, low birthweight, social environment, stress level
Examples of stressful adult speech models
- Rapid speech rate
- Complex syntax
- Polysyllabic vocabulary
Examples of stressful speaking situations & life events for children
Speaking situations:
- competition for speaking
- frequent interruptions
- rushed when speaking
- frequent questions
Life events:
- Moving
- Divorce
- Family death
- Holiday/change in schedule
When does stuttering onset typically occur? What does it coincide with?
Between 2-4 years of age
Coincides with a boost in language development (increased use of various speech sounds, complex utterances)
What does stuttering co-occur with?
- Phonological delay
- ADHD/ADD
What is spontaneous recovery? When is the probably of recovery highest? When does most children recover?
Recovery from stuttering without treatment - a gradual & steady decrease in sound, syllable, and word repetitions and prolonged sounds over time
Probability of recovery is highest 6-12 months post-onset
Majority of children recover 12-24 months post-onset
Provide 6 risk factors for chronic stuttering
- Older at onset
- Male
- Family history
- Higher freq. of stuttered disfluencies
- Lower speech sound accuracy
- Lower expressive and receptive lang. skills
What is the diagnostic criteria for stuttering?
- Speaker produces ≥ 3% freq. stuttered disfluencies in a representative conversational speech sample
- Parents/caregivers express concern
What are some breathing abnormalities associated with stuttering?
- Speaking on inhalation
- Holding breath before talking
- Rapid and jerky breathing
Examples of negative emotions associated with stuttering
- Anxiety
- Fear of speaking
- Frustration
- Humiliation
- Avoidance
Provide examples of secondary behaviors associated with stuttering (motor and hidden)
Motor:
- Excessive muscular effort
- Facial grimaces
- Rapid eye blinking
- Tongue clicking
Hidden:
- Avoidance/circumlocution
- Fatigue
Loci of stuttering
The location in a speech sequence where stuttering is typically observed:
- Consonants
- First sound/word
- Longer & content words
- Less frequently used words
Define neurogenic stuttering
Stuttering caused by a neurological disease, brain damage, or pharmacological agents
Features of neurogenic stuttering
- Stutters occur equally on function & content words AND in all positions of words
- Little or no adaptation on repeated readings of a passage
- No secondary behaviors
- Relatively little fear/anxiety when speaking
Define cluttering
Sudden bursts of rapid speech that are difficult to understand
Features of cluttering
- Fast speaking rate
- Excessive normal disfluencies
- Lack of self-monitoring
- Slurred speech, omitted syllables, disorganized language
What diagnoses co-occur with cluttering?
- Stuttering
- Articulation disorders
- ADHD
- Learning disabilities
- Auditory processing disorders
What is the CALMS model?
- Cognitive
- Affective
- Linguistic
- Motor
- Social
This model is effective for fluency diagnosis because it provides a well-rounded framework that addresses the psychological, physical, and social dimensions of fluency, leading to more effective assessments and interventions.
CALMS - Assessing the “cognitive” component
- Evaluate the speaker’s thoughts/perceptions: Do they have a negative view of their own stuttering? A negative view on listener reactions?
- Evaluate the speaker’s awareness/understanding: Can they identify moments of stuttering?
CALMS - Assessing the “affective” component in preschool-age children
KiddyCAT: identifies the child’s attitude toward communication and speech
This measure allows SLPs to understand how the child feels about speaking in different social environments and provides information to see if they benefit from additional assessment or targeted intervention.