Word-Final Disfluencies: How Can I Help My Child?

by Chris O Language Development Speech Disorders Speech Therapist Speech Therapy Techniques

 

Word-final Disfluencies

Word-final disfluencies are often classified as forms of stuttering that occur at the ends of words or sentences. However, the treatments for this disfluency type are often more typical of therapies used for other disfluencies and not necessarily stuttering. Image source: busybeespeech.blogspot.com

Uniqueness is a beautiful thing – unless that is it comes to struggling to find a diagnosis and treatment plan for an uncommon speech disorder. Then unique can translate to undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, either one of which can be frustrating and challenging for families. If you’re a parent of a child with word-final disfluency, chances are that at least one time you’ve been told that your child’s speech pattern is unique, but not necessarily something to worry about or for which to seek therapy. Unique can be beautiful, but if you’ve got that feeling in your parental gut about that not-so-normal-stuttering speech pattern, there are steps you can take to help your child. Continue reading →

Disfluency Challenges: Word-Final Disfluency vs. Non-Stuttering Like Disfluency

by Chris O Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

Speech Therapy Help for These Similar Disfluencies in Children

When you think of stuttering you might envision a scene from The King’s Speech or someone you know who struggles with the beginning sounds of words. But what about when you hear those repeated sounds at the end of words – is it stuttering or something else?

Speech disorders can sound similar but have very different origins

Courtesy of DIYHealth.com

Sometimes the difference between typical disfluency and stuttering seems to only be as insignificant as a syllable. But when it comes to speech disorders, syllables take on significant roles. A recently recognized disfluency known as word-final or word-end disfluency usually falls under the general category of non-typical stuttering and can be challenging for pediatricians and caregivers to recognize as a stuttering speech disorder. Making the challenge even greater, SLPs are often charged with discriminating between word-final disfluency and non-stuttering like disfluency.

Continue reading →