Abstract

Hilary McDonagh

Developmental stammering / stuttering is classified by the World Health Organization as a disability, when its severity is such as to markedly disturb the fluency of speech. (World Health Organisation, 2010). While there is a lack of consensus regarding prevalence of DS, conservatively the childhood prevalence can be placed and 5% and Adult prevalence at .8 – 1% of the World’s population The inability to agree is partly due to differences in how stuttering is defined, why it occurs differences in how stuttering severity is measured ( See Yairi and Ambrose 2013). The five participants in this study were required to complete 5 weeks of 10 minutes practice twice per day. There were taught a specific technique to improve speeck fluency. The participants were assessed at base line, post intervention and at three month follow up. One of the assessment tools awas the Overall Assessment of the Speakers Experience of Stuttering – a tool developed in line with the ICF guidelines. Current neurological evidence is reviewed and related to current theroetical approaches and reframed using a new paradigm.