Assessment & Treatment for Stuttering - Jessica Fanning, PhD CCC-SLP

Part 1: for this course reviews procedures for assessing stuttering concerns across the lifespan. The instructor will also review a variety of iPad apps that support data collection. This course is appropriate for clinicians seeking review of current assessment procedures and assumes clinicians have worked with several fluency clients. Participants will review differential diagnostic guidelines for identifying developmental stuttering versus typical disfluency. The course will review how to use diagnostic information to make clinical treatment decisions regardless of client age or clinical setting (i.e., early intervention, schools, clinics). Clinicians in early intervention settings are required to know the full spectrum of assessment tools since they serve preschoolers who present mild, moderate, and severe stuttering. School-based clinicians face unique assessment challenges due to limited time and materials availability. Clinicians within clinic settings are frequently expected to have comprehensive knowledge of fluency assessment in order to serve all ages and all stuttering severity levels. Assessment practices appropriate for various clinical settings will be discussed. Since the course will serve to refresh a clinician’s existing knowledge base, beginning clinicians will need to supplement the current course information with fundamental and foundational assessment information relevant to fluency.

Part 2: This part reviews treatment approaches for addressing stuttering concerns across the lifespan. The instructor will also review a few iPad apps appropriate for fluency intervention outcome objectives. This course is appropriate for clinicians seeking review of evidence-based approaches to treating stuttering and assumes clinicians have worked with several fluency clients. The course will review parent-directed and client-directed treatment approaches with an emphasis on an integrated approach to stuttering intervention. Since the course will serve to refresh a clinician’s existing knowledge base, beginning clinicians might need to supplement the current course with fundamental information related to the nature of stuttering, theories about stuttering, and seminal research findings.