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From: Lynne Shields
Date: 10 Oct 2009
Time: 09:50:55 -0500
Remote Name: 76.215.118.209
Ed, I think you've heard this from this panel in years past, but I'll respond to your claim that "'The failure in therapy for stuttering is never the fault of the therapy or the therapist ... It is always the fault of the client or parent' Many SLPs do in fact use this defence". I certainly cannot speak for all SLPs, nor can you, I suspect. I have never made such a claim and would never suggest that a client was 'at fault' for treatment being unsuccessful. I have suggested to families that they may freely seek a second opinion, and I consult with other fluency specialists when I want another view on treatment. While I do not in any way oppose the involvement of another party, routinely doing this would entail additional expense for the client. So, I would see this as being useful and reasonable only if the client wished to engage someone else in their treatment. I work with other professionals routinely when a child or adult is being treated by another practitioner or specialist, so that we can coordinate our efforts. I also frequently contact teachers or school SLPs to coordinate efforts. Any consultation or coordination is always done only with the client or family permission. I am not saying that there are no cases of SLPs being defensive, and when this occurs, it is an example of poor practice. Thanks for posting your question. Regards, Lynne