title: Natural history of stuttering to 4 years of age: a prospective community-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the natural history of stuttering by age 4 years, including (1) cumulative incidence of onset, (2) 12-month recovery status, (3) predictors of stuttering onset and recovery, and (4) potential comorbidities. The study cohort was a prospective community-ascertained cohort (the Early Language in Victoria Study) from Melbourne, Australia, of 4-year-old children (n = 1619; recruited at age 8 months) and their mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outcome was stuttering onset by age 4 years and recovery within 12 months of onset, defined using concurrent monthly parent and speech pathologist ratings. Potential predictors: child gender, birth weight, birth order, prematurity, and twinning; maternal mental health and education; socioeconomic status; and family history of stuttering. Potential comorbidities: preonset and concurrent temperament, language, nonverbal cognition, and health-related quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By age 4 years, the cumulative incidence of stuttering onset was 11.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.7% to 12.8%). Higher maternal education (P = .004), male gender (P = .02), and twinning (P = .005) predicted stuttering onset. At outcome, stuttering children had stronger language (mean [SD]: 105.0 [13.0] vs 99.6 [14.6]; mean difference 5.5, 95% CI: 3.1 to 7.8; P < .001) and nonverbal cognition (mean [SD]: 106.5 [11.4] vs 103.9 [13.7], mean difference 2.6, 95% CI: 0.4 to 4.8; P = .02) and better health-related quality of life but were otherwise similar to their nonstuttering peers. Only 9 of 142 children (6.3%; 95% CI: 2.9% to 11.7%) recovered within 12 months of onset.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although stuttering onset is common in preschoolers, adverse affects are not the norm in the first year after onset.
authors: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Victoria, Australia. sheena.reilly@mcri.edu.au
authors: Sheena
authors: S
authors: Reilly
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Onslow
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: Packman
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Cini
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Conway
authors: Obioha C
authors: OC
authors: Ukoumunne
authors: Edith L
authors: EL
authors: Bavin
authors: Margot
authors: M
authors: Prior
authors: Patricia
authors: P
authors: Eadie
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Block
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Wake
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D018479:Early Intervention, Educational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013342:Stuttering / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014739:Victoria
keywords: epidemiological studies; stuttering, longitudinal study, risk factors, child, preschool