Introduction
Stuttering is a speech disorder that causes the individual to constantly repeat words or syllables and take a longer period of time than is expected in pronouncing words. This problem causes lack of fluency in speech as a result of frequent pauses when speaking (Hamaguchi, 2010). Research has shown that 5 % of children are affected by stuttering when young and the problem may persist for a number of weeks or years. In some children, the problem may worsen with time instead of disappearing. This is referred to as developmental stuttering and is the most prevalent form of stuttering. Some researchers have argued that stuttering is a genetic problem that affects certain families (Johnson, 1959). This report will present the assessment of stuttering case study
As stuttering begins, individuals constantly repeat consonants and with time they start repeating words and phrases. As the problem progresses, the patient uses a lot of force to speak and seems to struggle. Stuttering does not usually require any testing since the diagnosis can be done by consulting speech pathologists (NCBI, 2010).
Treatment Background
There is no cure for stuttering but doctors and medical practitioners prescribe various treatments for the problem. The treatment depends on the age of the individual and the reasons for communication. It is important to seek assistance from speech pathologists in order to choose the best treatment (Bothe, 2004). When children develop stuttering at an early age, it is advisable to look for treatment to prevent it from becoming a lifelong issue. There are different mechanisms used to assist children in improving their fluency and gaining interest in communication (Earth Clinic, 2010). Health experts say that if a child stutters for more than six months, evaluation should be done on the child to investigate chances of developing stuttering (Packman, 2004). In addition, children who exhibit forceful communication as witnessed in stuttering cases or children from families that have histories of stuttering should be analyzed by medical practitioners. It is recommended that children be evaluated after every three months to determine whether the problem is reducing or increasing. Stuttering treatment involves giving parents insights on how to encourage their children produce fluent speech (nidcd, 2010).
Assessment of Stuttering
During the assessment process, both observable and unobservable indicators of stuttering are considered. Assessing psychological domain depends on the view point of the person assessing the problem (Conture & Curlee, 2007). Theorists in this field have argued that people who stutter do not have serious covert problems but have psychological problems arising from the observable problems they experience. Other theorists have a feeling that people who stutter have serious psychological problems. In the assessment, the overt features will be one of the assessment areas to be focused on. Some of the overt features are repeating words and taking an abnormally long period of time to pronounce words. This measure is important because it shows evidence of stuttering from what can be seen.
The assessment process begins with a referral either from the assessor, employer or the parents of the affected person. The referral people are usually concerned about the stuttering situation of the victims and wish to find therapy for them. The referral is followed by the initial appointment with the individual affected by stuttering. If the individual accepts the appointment, this is a clear indication of commitment to therapy. The initial appointment kicks off the process of investigation which continues throughout the assessment period. Young people who are severely affected by stuttering are expected to be receptive to the assessment process.
On the first meeting with the stuttering victim, it is important to make informal assessments. Informal assessments include assessment of social skills, posture and the speaking style of the person among other factors. Another important measure after doing the informal assessment is to enquire about the case history. This is very important since it gives an overview of the situation from the time stuttering started and how it has progressed. The person is assisted in answering the questions so that the required information is gathered. Once the case study is analyzed, this is followed by determination of the severity of the case. Some stuttering cases are severe than others.
Assessment Results
In my case study, the assessment revealed that Scott had developed a type of stuttering known as developmental stuttering (Ufl, n.d). His stuttering problem started developing when he was a child but since his parents thought the problem would disappear, they did not seek any professional assistance. Stuttering problem interferes with speech and reduces fluency as witnessed in the case of Scott. From the assessment of the speech sample, the following results were obtained regarding the speech of Scott:
- The assessment revealed that Scott has difficulties in producing speech. This evident in the speech sample since he uses a lot of force to produce speech.
- From the assessment, I could also identify repetition of words in the speech of Scott. At some point, repetition of words is translated into repetition of phrases.
- As Scott tries to speak, I noted from the assessment that there is prolonged pronunciation of words.
- The other result obtained from the assessment is lack of coherence in the speech as Scott pauses at certain intervals in his speech.
- Lastly, it is possible to realize that the speech produced by Scott cannot be understood easily due to the forceful production of words and pausing while speaking.
When the results of this assessment are compared with normative data, the implication is that Scott had developmental stuttering which developed since childhood. It could have been rectified before worsening if his parents sought medical help (Guitar, 2006).
Interpretation of Results
The interpretation that we get from this assessment is that stuttering is a developmental speech disorder that affects children and if unchecked, it continues in adulthood. With reference to the sensorimotor model, stuttering may be caused by anomalies within the sensorimotor system. Sensorimotor system is responsible for speech and problems within the system causes language impairment. Stuttering leads to impaired speech as evidenced by the case study of Scott. The speech is incoherent and difficult to understand. There are also numerous pauses in the speech which make it difficult to understand the speech. In the speech, Scott also starts by repeating words and later begins to repeat entire phrases.
Conclusion
This report has analyzed the problem of stuttering which is a language disorder that causes speech impairment. Although stuttering has no cure, doctors’ advice to parents is that they should constantly evaluate their children and seek professional assistance if they detect signs of stuttering. Stuttering is an indication of various impairments in the sensorimotor system. For instance, repetition of words and pauses in speech are an indicator of sensorimotor impairments. Stuttering is therefore a problem that should be identified in time and intervention measures sought to ensure that it does not become severe.
References
Bothe, A. (2004). Evidence-based treatment of stuttering: empirical bases and clinical. New Jersey: Routledge.
Conture, G., & Curlee, F. (2007). Stuttering and related disorders of fluency. London: Thieme.
Earthclinic. (2010). Solve Stuttering Issues.
Guitar, B. (2006). Stuttering: an integrated approach to its nature and treatment. New York: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Hamaguch, P. (2010). Childhood Speech, Language, and Listening Problems. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons.
Johnson, W. (1959). The onset of stuttering: research findings and implications. Minnesota: U of Minnesota Press.
NCBI. (2010). Children and stuttering; Speech disfluency; Stammering. Web.
nidcd. (2010). How is stuttering treated? Web.
Packman, A. (2004). Theoretical issues in stuttering. New York: Taylor and Francis.
Ufl. (n.d). Stuttering: Assessment and Treatment. Web.