At the Stuttering Center of Western Pennsylvania, assessment and treatment procedures vary on a case-by-case basis depending the needs of each individual person and family. Following is an example of what a diagnostic evaluation or treatment visit may include

• Diagnostic Evaluations

The diagnostic evaluation typically begins when the parents complete an intake form. The form is either sent to them in the mail prior to the evaluation or they receive it at the time of their appointment. (You can find the intake form on this website under Resources.) Responses aid the clinician in planning the evaluation and tailoring it to the child's needs.

Assessments include a detailed interview with the parents or caregivers, as well as with the child if he or she is old enough. For preschool and young school-age children, the child is usually observed interacting with a family member to give the clinician the opportunity to hear the child's speech. This is typically followed by interaction with the clinician, who evaluates the child's fluency in both stressed and unstressed situations. Clinicians also examine the child's attitudes toward communication and any other behaviors associated with the child's stuttering.

For older children, an interview is usually carried out with the child to determine if he or she is a candidate for treatment and to determine how stuttering affects the child's social and educational opportunities. At the end of the assessment, the clinician discusses the findings with the parents and child and then provides recommendations.

• Treatment

Following the assessment, a number of recommendations may be made. For preschool children, fluency may be monitored over a period of time or treatment may be recommended. At the Stuttering Center, treatment for preschool and young school-age children begins with a six-session Parent/Child Training Program (PCTP). In this program, parents are taught techniques for facilitating fluent speech in the home environment. Following the six sessions, the child may be discharged and monitored, or more direct individual treatment may be recommended. To receive additional information or handouts about our preschool program, please email Craig Coleman at craig.coleman@chp.edu

School-age children and adolescents often face a unique challenge, requiring the help of both parents and clinicians as learn they to cope with their stuttering at a time of beginning maturation. As children grow older, it becomes increasingly important to involve them in the decision-making process for treatment. If older children do not want to be involved in treatment, progress is likely to be minimal. Most children will reach a point in their life when they want help for their stuttering, so it is better to wait until they are ready to be active participants rather than forcing them into therapy that will not be successful and fostering a negative opinion about the therapy process. Treatment will probably be recommended if the child and parent seek therapy and the clinician agrees that it is an appropriate time for treatment. Treatment for this age group generally focuses on helping the child: (a) speak more fluently, (b) reduce physical tension or secondary behaviors associated with stuttering, (c) become more proficient at communication in general, and most importantly, (d) develop healthy communication attitudes.

Pediatric consultations can be scheduled by calling Children's Hospital at (412) 692-5580. Although Children's Hospital does not directly serve adults who stutter, adult consultations are also available and may be scheduled by contacting J. Scott Yaruss, Ph.D. at (412) 383-6538 or jsyaruss@pitt.edu.