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From: Bob Quesal
Date: 10/1/01
Time: 8:27:44 AM
Remote Name: 143.43.201.169
Hi Jonathon: I think it's important not to get too bogged down in semantics (even though I know both of us are Wendell Johnson readers). ;-)> Clearly the history of speech-language pathology indicates that stuttering has long held a prominent place in the profession, regardless of whether it is a "pathology" as you define it.
I'm not sure who will be in the best position to treat stuttering in the future. Psychologists and psychiatrists seem, at first glance, to be too interested in the "emotional" part of things, and I believe that is just part of a larger puzzle. I think the issues for any group that attempts to "take over" expertise in stuttering will be the same as those facing ASHA - there are other disorders that are more prevalent and it is difficult to encourage people to spend a lot of time learning about the ins and outs of a complex disorder that they will only deal with infrequently. Perhaps more importantly, the issue is also one of reimbursement - I believe that if $$ could be earned by working with people who stutter the disorder would be a more attractive one to work with.
Unfortunately, there are no simple answers. I appreciate your question.
Bob Q.