The Other Fluency Disorder: Defining Cluttering
Presented by Claire Barbao
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Cluttering is a type of fluency disorder that is often defined by increased rate and decreased overall clarity of speech. As a lower-prevalence disorder, it may be misunderstood by SLPs and other professionals. Left undiagnosed and untreated, individuals who clutter are at risk to have decreased effective communication, contributing to a negative impact on their quality of life. The quality of speech in individuals who clutter is impacted by a variety of symptoms, all of which may become more severe with increasing language complexity. Part 1 of this 3-part series will discuss the characteristics that are crucial in the identification of this disorder. It will also discuss predictors for prognosis, differential diagnosis, and how to apply this knowledge to educating the individuals that we work with.
Meet your instructor
Claire Barbao
Claire Barbao is a speech-language pathologist at the University of Virginia. The primary focus of her current clinical practice and instruction is fluency disorders, motor speech disorders, and adult rehabilitation. Her clinical experience includes inpatient and outpatient medical settings, private practice, telepractice,…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Laying the Groundwork
This chapter will discuss the most recent research findings pertaining to the prevalence and etiology of cluttering. It is important to have the knowledge of these factors when judging prognosis and providing recommendations for diagnosis and treatment.
2. Characteristics of Cluttering
This chapter will explore specific characteristics of cluttering as defined by the International Cluttering Association. These characteristics break down the assumption that cluttering only pertains to rate and broadens the clinician’s basis for understanding the multiple facets of this diagnosis.
3. Differential Diagnosis
This chapter will consider the characteristics in cluttering that are also applicable to stuttering and other disorders. The clinician should be able to identify similarities as well as differences to confidently support a diagnosis.
4. How Can We Educate?
This chapter provides specific examples of how a clinician can describe cluttering to the individual, caregivers, and other professionals on the team. It is important to be able to apply the knowledge about cluttering to talking with those who are being affected by it.
