From: Charlie Osborne
Date: 01 Oct 2012
Time: 09:15:22 -0500
Remote Name: 143.236.86.55
I appreciate your efforts to augment the Perkin’s 1990 definition. I think it provides a more accurate reflection of the speech act and the speaker’s reaction to it. Thank you also for stating “depending on the individual.” It recognizes the fact that each person’s journey with stuttering is unique. By accepting your definition of stuttering, one must also accept the fact that stuttering therapy must be tailored to the individual who stutters and cannot be a “one size fits all” affair. For me, as a clinician, it is why I find working with individuals who stutter young and old, such a fascinating and rewarding experience. Each person has their own story to tell and I learn something new about stuttering from each of them. I have a quick question for you, given the limitations of a surface definition of stuttering, how effective a measure is it for “qualifying” or “dismissing” a person who seeks treatment?