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From: John Tetnowski
Date: 19 Apr 2010
Time: 12:18:19 -0500
Remote Name: 130.70.138.144
Emily, I do think that it is a common debate. What makes it difficult is that almost all people who clutter also have other disorders, many of them language-based in nature. If you go back and look at the contents/comments/questions following my article, there is a comment from Helene. She is a person who clutters, but I don't think that she has any concomitant language disorder. She may be willing to add more to this conversation. My belief is that if we can find people who clutter that do NOT have any other language or learning disorders that cluttering can exist in isolation (as a speech disorder...not a language disorder). That can add insight to the debate from a theoretical standpoint, but for most of the SLPs in the world, the emphasis is on treatment. That is why the definition should not be the most important aspect for clinicians (leave that to the theoriticians)......the most important aspect for clinicians should be treat the symptoms that impair the person socially and emotionally. Pinpoint those aspects and treat them, no matter how we label the client. Thanks for the question, John Tetnowski