W3 - Acquired Stammering

Question 1

What is acquired stammering?

Answer 1

Acquired stammering is comparatively rare and typically has a later onset than developmental stammering.

It is associated with a significant event, and has a range of causes:

• linked to neurological conditions and progressive diseases
• can be caused by certain types of drugs
• can be caused by significant emotional distress/traumatic event

Question 2

What is neurogenic stammering?

Answer 2

• Most common form of acquired stammering
• Caused by neurological changes impacting on the motor actions needed for speech.
• Often an initial indication of a neurological disease.

Question 3

What are the potential causes of neurogenic stammers?

Answer 3

Could be the result of:

• Brain damage associated with stroke
• Tumours
• Progressive diseases such as MS or Parkinsons
• Drugs such as some types anti-depressants, epilesy or asthma medication

Question 4

What is the typical presentation of a neurogenic stammer?

Answer 4

A typical presentation could include:

• Stammer having an impact on all words - function and content
• Stammer occuring in all word positions - not just WI
• Little to no adaptation effect when reading
• Relatively little fear or anxiety - frustration much more common

Question 5

What is psychogenic stammering?

Answer 5

Psychogenic stammering has its onset following an emotional event such as a bereavement, loss of a relationship or as a result of a traumatic neurogenic event.

It is psychosomatic - meaning physical symptoms are occuring for psychological reasons

• There is no obvious medical diagnosis or physical stressor causing the dysfluency.

Question 6

What are the characteristics of psychogenic stammering/how does it present?

Answer 6

Characteristics:

• Sudden onset that is related to a significant event
• Repetitions of initital or stressed syllables
• There is typically no difference to stammer when the AFL is altered (choral reading, white noise, delayed audio feedback, or singing etc)
• No periods of stutter free speech
• The same patterns are evident when reading aloud as in their conversation
• Initially no or limited interest in their stammer - clients have typically been dealing with this for a while, so a holistic view is essential