Meaningfulness of acoustic speech analysis for the prognostic estimation of childhood stuttering. Partial results of a prospective longitudinal study

Present state of knowledge. There are currently no known acoustic parameter s by which stuttering children can be appraised which will predict their su bsequent speech fluency. Aim. To explain the significance of factors which perpetuate stuttering by using computer-based speech analysis of fluent speech for a 1 1/2 year peri od and to relate acoustic analysis with clinical measurements of stuttering . Special attention was given to motor-oral and/or linguistic deficits. Method and results. A prospective study of 58 pre-school children who stutt er. Correlations were sought between acoustic variables in the severity and course of the stuttering with the influence of motor-oral and linguistic d isturbances. 19 age-matched, nor mal-speaking children served as controls. A subdivision of the study group into different subgroups with particular m otor-oral and/or linguistic problems showed that children whose stuttering coincides with a delayed speech development have a distinctly better progno sis for early remission. In most of these children the stuttering remitted to such a degree as the deficits causing the stuttering could be reappraise d, which means simultaneous improvement of the linguistic competence. Conclusion. It was apparent that remission rate was much higher in those ch ildren who showed linguistic disturbances at the same time with stuttering. Within the stuttering group,subgroups showed a few correlations in several acoustic parameters, but these could not, as yet, be shown to give any pro gnostic markers in the routine diagnosis of children who stutter. If a chil d shows any danger-signs of acquiring stuttering on a more permanent basis, a careful diagnosis is necessary in order to find the individually underlyi ng factors before any therapeutical procedure.