An Analysis of Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics in Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with Childhood Onset Speech Fluency Disorder

Year 2019, , 185 - 190, 20.12.2019

Börte Gürbüz Özgür , Erdoğan Özgür

https://doi.org/10.32448/entupdates.610265

Abstract

Objective: Childhood onset speech
fluency disorder (stuttering) is a communication disorder beginning in
childhood, and is characterised by interruption to speech flow, sound
prolongations and pauses produced by repetition of a particular sound or word.
The aim of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic characteristics,
comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and other variables that are associated with
stuttering.

Methods: Sixty-four children and adolescents aged under
18 years and attending the child and adolescent psychiatry or
otorhinolaryngology (ENT) outpatient clinic between November 2017 and June 2019
were enrolled in the study. ENT examination was carried out. A sociodemographic
questionnaire was also administered to the participants. The psychiatric
evaluation of the patients was performed according to DSM-5 criteria.

Results: The mean age was 7.36±3.76 years. 70.3% of the
cases were male. The mean age at onset of stuttering was 4.85±2.34 years and
the average stuttering duration was 2.31 years. In 31.3% of cases a life
stressor had preceded stuttering, 21.9% had a positive family history, and
40.6% had comorbid psychiatric morbidity. The most common comorbid psychiatric
diagnoses were specific learning disorder, speech sound disorder and attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Conclusion: According to the results
obtained, stuttering was 2.3 times more common in males, and 68.7% of all cases
were below the age of 5 years. The most common psychiatric diagnoses found in
cases of stuttering are within the neurodevelopmental disorders grouping. Since
psychiatric diagnoses occur at such a high frequency, it is important to
address this comorbidity when treating stuttering.

Keywords

Child, language, learning disorder, speech, stuttering

Supporting Institution

-

References

• 1. Yairi, E. and N. Ambrose, Early Childhood Stuttering for Clinicians by Clinicians. 2005, Austin, TX: PRO-ED. 521.
• 2. Mansson, H., Childhood stuttering: Incidence and development. Journal of Fluency Disorders, 2000. 25(1): p. 47-57.
• 3. McKinnon, D.H., S. McLeod, and S. Reilly, The prevalence of stuttering, voice, and speech-sound disorders in primary school students in Australia. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch, 2007. 38(1): p. 5-15.
• 4. Yairi, E. and N. Ambrose, Epidemiology of stuttering: 21st century advances. J Fluency Disord, 2013. 38(2): p. 66-87.
• 5. Boyle, C.A., et al., Trends in the prevalence of developmental disabilities in US children, 1997-2008. Pediatrics, 2011. 127(6): p. 1034-42.
• 6. Van Borsel, J. and J.A. Tetnowski, Fluency disorders in genetic syndromes. J Fluency Disord, 2007. 32(4): p. 279-96.
• 7. American Psychiatric Association. and American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5 Task Force., Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders : DSM-5. 5th ed. 2013, Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Association. xliv, 947 p.
• 8. Prasse, J.E. and G.E. Kikano, Stuttering: an overview. Am Fam Physician, 2008. 77(9): p. 1271-6.
• 9. Smith, A. and C. Weber, How Stuttering Develops: The Multifactorial Dynamic Pathways Theory. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 2017. 60(9): p. 2483-2505.
• 10. Packman, A., Theory and therapy in stuttering: a complex relationship. J Fluency Disord, 2012. 37(4): p. 225-33.
• 11. Starkweather, C.W. and J. Givens-Ackerman, Stuttering. 1997, Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.
• 12. Smith, A. and E. Kelly, Stuttering: A dynamic, multifactorial model, in Nature and treatment of stuttering: New directions, R.F. Curlee and G.M. Siegel, Editors. 1997, Allyn & Bacon: Boston, MA. p. 204-217.
• 13. Ezrati-Vinacour, R. and I. Levin, Time estimation by adults who stutter. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 2001. 44(1): p. 144-55.
• 14. Kraft, S.J. and E. Yairi, Genetic bases of stuttering: the state of the art, 2011. Folia Phoniatr Logop, 2012. 64(1): p. 34-47.
• 15. Chang, S.E., et al., Brain anatomy differences in childhood stuttering. Neuroimage, 2008. 39(3): p. 1333-44.
• 16. Chang, S.E. and D.C. Zhu, Neural network connectivity differences in children who stutter. Brain, 2013. 136(Pt 12): p. 3709-26.
• 17. Avcı, A., Ş. Uğuz, and F. Toros, Çocuklarda kekemelik: Karşılaştırmalı bir izleme çalışması. Klinik Psikiyatri, 2002. 5: p. 16-21.
• 18. McClean, M.D. and C.M. Runyan, Variations in the relative speeds of orofacial structures with stuttering severity. J Speech Lang Hear Res, 2000. 43(6): p. 1524-31.
• 19. Packman, A., C. Code, and M. Onslow, On the cause of stuttering: Integrating theory with brain and behavioral research. Journal of Neurolinguistics, 2007. 20(5): p. 353-362.
• 20. Morley, M.E., The development and disorders of speech in childhood. 3d ed. 1972, Baltimore,: Williams and Wilkins Co. xxiii, 542 p.
• 21. Baker, B.M. and P.B. Blackwell, Identification and remediation of pediatric fluency and voice disorders. J Pediatr Health Care, 2004. 18(2): p. 87-94.
• 22. Selcuk, E.B., et al., Testosterone levels of children with a diagnosis of developmental stuttering. Ther Clin Risk Manag, 2015. 11: p. 793-8.
• 23. Andrews, G., et al., Stuttering: a review of research findings and theories circa 1982. J Speech Hear Disord, 1983. 48(3): p. 226-46.
• 24. Ajdacic-Gross, V., et al., Risk factors for stuttering: a secondary analysis of a large data base. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci, 2010. 260(4): p. 279-86.
• 25. Kaya, İ., Nörogelişimsel Bozukluklar, in Çocuklukta Başlayan Konuşma Akıcılığı Bozukluğu (Kekemelik), N.M. Mukaddes and E.S. Ercan, Editors. 2018, Nobel Tıp Kitabevi: İstanbul.
• 26. Association., A.S.L.H. Childhood Fluency Disorders. [cited 2019 25.05]; Available from: https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/clinical-topics/childhood-fluency-disorders/.
• 27. Walsh, B., et al., What Are Predictors for Persistence in Childhood Stuttering? Semin Speech Lang, 2018. 39(4): p. 299-312.
• 28. Çiyiltepe, M. and T. Türkbay, Speech concepts and evaluation of the child with speech delay: a review. Çocuk ve Gençlik Ruh Sağlığı Dergisi, 2004. 11(2): p. 89-97.
• 29. Koçyiğit, M., et al., Konuşması Geciken Çocuğa Yaklaşım Prensipleri. ACU Sağlık Bil Derg, 2017. 8(1): p. 1-5.
• 30. Mukaddes, N.M. and T. Mutluer, İletişim Bozuklukları, in Nörogelişimsel Bozukluklar, N.M. Mukaddes and E.S. Ercan, Editors. 2018, Nobel Tıp Kitabevi: İstanbul.31. Blood, G.W., et al., Co-occurring disorders in children who stutter. J Commun Disord, 2003. 36(6): p. 427-48.
• 32. Arndt, J. and E.C. Healey, Concomitant Disorders in School-Age Children Who Stutter. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch, 2001. 32(2): p. 68-78.
• 33. Monfrais-Pfauwadel, M.C. and I. Lacombe, [Attention deficits in the school aged stuttering child: constituent trait or comorbidity]. Rev Laryngol Otol Rhinol (Bord), 2002. 123(5): p. 291-5.