Abstract

Introduction: Stuttering is a communication difficulty that creates problems in speech freedom. It contains uncontrollable, reflexive stuffs, elongations, repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words. At the same time, it is accompanied by feelings of frustration, fear, shame and low self-esteem.

Aim: The aim of this review was the investigation the treatment of stuttering in children.

Material-Methods: Extensive review of the recent literature was conducted in electronic databases (Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar) through the Association of Hellenic Academic Libraries (HEAL-Link) using the appropriate key words: stuttering, health, disease as well as a combination of them.

Results: Symptoms of stuttering are accompanied by non-verbal behavior, such as lack of eye contact and blinking; these symptoms are not observed in children with normal speech difficulties. It is particularly important the general level of child's speech development be assessed throughout the diagnostic process in order to ascertain whether there are additional difficulties such as articulation or phonological difficulties. The existence and degree of severity of such speech difficulties is usually taken into account so as therapeutic interventions to be ranked and classified when designing any treatment.

Conclusion: The stuttering child makes an effort to stop or avoid stuttering; it causes the child an intense psychological stress and affects his whole life. Each and every person who stutters has to cope, to a greater or lesser extent, with a symptomatological ensemble.