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From: Michael Retzinger
Date: 14 Oct 2009
Time: 10:04:18 -0500
Remote Name: 76.229.233.81
I am not one of the professional experts here, but I am a person who stutters. As a member of self-help organizations for people who stutter, I have listened at many conferences over the years to parents who voice frustrations with the lack of quality speech and language therapy for children who stutter in the public school setting. As well, I believe there have been a number of studies done - perhaps even by some of the noted panel of professional experts involved in this ISAD - that would seem to indicate that the level of competence and training needed to deliver quality therapy to/with CWS in the public school setting is less than adequate/satisfactory. I understand, and at a certain reactive level agree with, what Joe feels is the correct professional responsibility to be "The first step is educating the public that they have rights and that there are ways for them to report concerns." But at a deeper level of understanding of the professional responsibility entrusted and expected of SLP's by parents of CWS, and I would suspect expressed in the ASHA Code of Ethics, it does not seem unreasonable for the public to expect adequately trained therapists when delivering therapy services to a child who stutters. And if not trained sufficently, to refer to a professional who is! Unfortunantely, for whatever reason, it does appear that there may be professionals lacking in expertise in therapy for stuttering that do not share their lack of expertise with parents prior to providing "therapy" to CWS in the public school setting. My thought is this: Rather than first reacting and sharing with parents their rights as to recourse, I believe the professionals in question should learn first above all else - during their training and professional preparation - as the parent said - to "Do No Harm". Refer out to a professional who might actually know how to provide meaningful therapy! As I understand it, the Specialty Board on Fluency Disorders is now urging parents of CWS initially searching for therapy to seek "specialists" rather than working with "generalists" in the school setting.