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From: Sandra Merlo
Date: 14 Oct 2008
Time: 19:21:38 -0500
Remote Name: 201.95.36.188
Dear Eva, thank you for your questions. Scientific researches indicate that stuttering may be caused by hereditary factors or by brain lesion. When a patient (adult or child) comes to my clinic, I do an extensive evaluation, not only of his/her speech, but also about the possible cause and about factors that affect fluency. I use four findings as suggestive that stuttering has a hereditary background: others family members that stutter or had previously stuttered; others family members that clutter; stuttering beginning between 2 and 4 years old; and few traits of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). I use two findings as suggestive that stuttering could be caused by a brain lesion: neurological incidents (hypoxia, premature birth, birth complications, and concussion) and many traits of ADHD. The assessment indicates which of the two causes should be considered. About the other question, parents and patients do not easily accept that stuttering cannot be totally cured. When the stuttering was caused by hereditary factors, I explain that there will always be a genetic predisposition to stutter. When the stuttering was caused by a brain lesion, I explain that the lesion will not disappear. But this does not mean that no improvement is possible. This only means that there is a limit for improvement. Best regards, Sandra