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From: Gunars Neiders (a psychology doctorate student)
Date: 10/8/02
Time: 2:45:54 PM
Remote Name: 206.63.151.155
My reading of the stuttering literature indicates that there is a high probability that the offspring of stuttering parents stutter. Does anyone know the most accurate probability? Assuming that this is so: 1) Has anyone initiated a scientific study or case study to follow the couples and offspring from the time of conception (or when the pregnancy was confirmed) through age five of the offspring? What were the results? 2) Would it not be a good SID-4, National Institutes of Health, and National Institutes of Mental Health project which could be akin to the various long range efforts in the field of medicine such as the Framingham study or the Nurses study? 3) Is there a good chapter in a book or an article that provides guidance for the new baby?s parents in how to prevent or deal with a child who is prone to stuttering? 4) Has or will SID-4 or NSA form a committee to provide such information to be included in the most popular baby care books when they come up for revision? (such authoritative books as Shelov, S. P. (editor in chief.) (1998) Caring for Your Baby and Young Child Birth to Age 5: The Complete and Authoritative Guide. Published by The American Academy of Pediatrics as Bantam Trade Paperback AND Eisenberg, Murkoff, and Hathway (1996). What to Expect The First Year & What to Expect The Toddler Years. New York: Workman Publishing DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ON STUTTERING.)
It is more than an academic interest to me, since I am a grandfather of an eight-month old baby girl. Although my son NEVER stuttered I sure did and to some extent do. :-)
Gunars Neiders@halcyon.com