Evaluating Stuttering in School-Age Children

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Many speech-language pathologists express that they are uncomfortable evaluating and treating school-age children who stutter. Part one of this three-part course is designed to help clinicians learn more about the nature of stuttering so they will be able to determine which school-age children are most likely to benefit from stuttering therapy. The course will begin with a description of the experience of stuttering from the perspective of children who live with this condition, followed by a detailed discussion of appropriate evaluation processes that lead to the development of comprehensive, individualized treatment programs. The purpose of the diagnostic evaluation for school-age children who stutter is to determine the appropriate time for treatment. Children who are ready to benefit from treatment will exhibit adverse impact as a result of their stuttering. Children who are experiencing minimal impact should not be enrolled in treatment, though there are still several ways that clinicians can support the child’s communication skills both in and out of the school setting.

Meet your instructor

J. Scott Yaruss

J. Scott Yaruss, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-F, F-ASHA, is a Professor of Communicative Sciences and Disorders at Michigan State University. A board-certified specialist in fluency disorders, Dr. Yaruss has served on the board of directors for the National Stuttering Association and as Associate Coordinator for the American…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. School-Age Stuttering Therapy: An Overview

Chapter 1 will describe the nature of stuttering in school-age children. The chapter will specifically focus on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning Disability, and Health (ICF) as it applies to the stuttering disorder. The primary message will be that speech-language pathologists need to consider more than just observable speech fluency when working with those who stutter.

2. Conducting a Comprehensive Evaluation

Chapter 2 will provide an overview of the process of evaluating stuttering in school-age children. This involves following the components of the ICF model to ensure that the entire disorder is considered. Thus, the evaluation will examine observable speech disfluencies (impairment), reactions to stuttering by the child and environment (context), and adverse impact of stuttering (activity limitation and participation restriction).

3. Making Treatment Recommendations

Chapter 3 will discuss the process of making treatment recommendations, including a consideration of which children are ready for treatment and which may need more time before they are ready to benefit from intervention. It will be argued that children who are not ready should not be forced into stuttering therapy and that clinicians should take care to prepare students carefully to ensure that they achieve the greatest possible success in therapy.

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