Posted on April 26th, 2023.

As speech-language pathologists, we are passionate about helping individuals improve their communication skills and reach their full potential. 

Fluency disorder, also known as stuttering, is a speech disorder that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. In this blog post, we will explore what fluency disorder is, how it's diagnosed, and how to treat it.

What Is Fluency Disorder?

Fluency disorder is a speech disorder characterized by interruptions in the flow of speech. This can manifest in many ways, including repetitions, prolongations, and blocks. 

Stuttering is the most common type of fluency disorder and is often characterized by repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words. Secondary characteristics such as eye blinking, facial grimaces, or throat clearing might also be present. Fluency disorder can occur at any age, but it often begins in childhood.

How Is Fluency Disorder Diagnosed?

Diagnosing fluency disorder involves a thorough evaluation by a speech-language pathologist. The evaluation typically includes an assessment of the individual's speech and language skills, as well as an examination of their medical and family history. 

The speech-language pathologist also conducts a variety of tests, such as client/family interviews, standardized testing, and language sample analysis, to determine the presence and severity of the fluency disorder.

Evidence-Based Treatments for Fluency Disorder

There are many evidence-based treatments for fluency disorder, with the most popular being fluency shaping and stuttering modification. These approaches focus on helping individuals learn new speech techniques and strategies to improve their fluency before speaking as well as during the act of stuttering.

Speech therapy techniques, such as slow and easy speech, can be effective in improving fluency. Fluency shaping is a type of therapy that focuses on teaching individuals to speak in a more relaxed and controlled manner. 

Stuttering modification involves teaching individuals to modify their stuttering behavior, such as using pull-out or cancellation techniques. 

Parent Training for Fluency Disorder

Parent training for fluency disorder is an essential part of the treatment process, particularly for children with fluency disorder. Parents can play a critical role in their child's therapy by learning effective strategies for supporting their child's communication development. 

Parent training can also help parents learn how to communicate with their child in a way that promotes fluency, such as modeling a reduced rate of speech, allowing for wait time, and praising their child for using smooth speech.

Contact Tryumph Speech Therapy Today

In conclusion, fluency disorder is a speech disorder that can significantly impact an individual's quality of life. At Tryumph Speech Therapy, we are dedicated to providing evidence-based treatments for fluency disorder, including fluency shaping, stuttering modification, and parent training.

At Tryumph Speech Therapy, we believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to communicate effectively and with confidence. We work closely with our clients to develop personalized treatment plans that are tailored to their specific needs and goals.

Our experienced speech pathologists specialize in providing evidence-based treatments for a wide range of speech disorders, including fluency disorder.

If you or a loved one is struggling with a fluency disorder such as stuttering, please contact us today. Call us at (512) 898-9858 or email us at [email protected] to schedule an appointment. 

We look forward to helping you improve your communication skills and reach your full potential. Together, let's transfer 'try' into TRYUMPH!