[Parental attitudes at the beginning of child's stuttering].
OBJECTIVE
Stuttering is a communication disorder that frequently starts at the age of three or four years. Its appearance and progression may impose psychological effects on children and their families. We evaluated parental attitudes in the initial period of stuttering.


METHODS
Twenty-two children or adolescents (16 males, 6 females; mean age 8.8+/-4.4 years; range 4 to 18 years) were assessed. A semi-structured clinical interview was administered to all the patients to determine whether stuttering was triggered by stressors and to examine the attitudes of parents and the course of their applying for treatment.


RESULTS
After the onset of stuttering symptoms, the most frequent parental attitude was found as punishment and warning to their child (54.5%). Before stuttering appeared, the most frequent triggering event was of being excessively scared of anything (68.2%). The mean age of onset of stuttering was 3.4+/-1.1 years (range 2 to 7 years).


CONCLUSIONS
The events that trigger stuttering also continue in the attitudes and thoughts of parents concerning stuttering. After the diagnosis, the parental attitude plays a significant role in the effectiveness of treatment. In this respect, parents should be informed during their first application for treatment.
Abali
Osman
O
Department of Pediatrics Mental Health, Istanbul Medicine Faculty of Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey. osman@cocukaile.com
Beşikçi
Hümeyra
H
Kinali
Gülsevim
G
Tüzün
Umran Dilara
UD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D013070:Speech Therapy; D013342:Stuttering / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires