School-aged children who stutter needed for Purdue study

October 22, 2014  


WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University is looking for 7- to 12-year-old children who stutter to participate in a 3-year study to improve diagnosis and intervention options.

"This study utilizes a newer, noninvasive neuroimaging technology to examine the brain at work during speech production," said Bridget Walsh, a research scientist and speech-language pathologist who collaborates with the Purdue Stuttering Project and is leading this study. "There are few studies looking at the neural mechanisms of stuttering in this age group due to the practical challenges that other neuroimaging techniques present. The long-term implications for both the diagnosis and treatment of stuttering are substantial, and by using this innovative approach, we can begin to unravel potential differences in neural activity during speech and better understand the developmental course of speech and language processes in young children who stutter."

The study is funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

To be eligible for the study, children must display stuttered speech, which generally includes involuntary pauses, sound prolongations or repetition of sounds and syllables during speech. Eligible participants must also speak English, have normal hearing and have no learning or neurological difficulties. As part of the study, children will receive a free assessment of their speech and hearing abilities. Children also will receive $30 per participation session, and families who travel more than an hour from Purdue also will receive $30 as travel compensation. For more information, contact Walsh at 765-496-0151 or bridget@purdue.edu. She also collaborates with the Purdue Stuttering Project.

Five percent of preschool-aged children and one percent of the world's adult population stutter. Stuttering can affect social interactions, educational performance and job opportunities.

Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu

Source: Bridget Walsh, 765-496-0151, bridget@purdue.edu 

Related websites:

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