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From: Chris Lewis
Date: 08 Oct 2006
Time: 21:39:28 -0500
Remote Name: 211.29.213.217
Hi Bonnie, Thanks for your comments and queries. Yes, it has been encouraging to make such good use of the available technology and it's exciting to consider the implications for the future. During standard delivery of the Lidcombe Program we are able to provide parents with information about treatment time from research findings. Although this information wasn’t available for telehealth delivery we were aware that the treatment was likely to take longer because, as discussed in the article, components needed to be added more cautiously. This was explained to parents and I believe that this knowledge, combined with the weekly discussions regarding whatever progress was being made and joint problem-solving to determine changes that would lead to further progress, encouraged the parents to remain committed to treatment. Parents receive information about early stuttering based on the research evidence, including issues such as the possibility of natural/spontaneous recovery, treatment, and the possible implications of stuttering remaining untreated beyond the preschool years. There are resources, as mentioned in the article (eg. Onslow, Packman & Harrison, 2003), that provide excellent information regarding the issues that are considered and discussed with parents when making decisions about if and when to begin treatment with the Lidcombe Program. The SLP will provide recommendations based on the research evidence and on each child’s assessment findings that enable the parent to make informed decisions regarding their child’s stuttering and treatment. Hope this helps & thanks again for your interest, Chris