Recover From Stuttering? Is That Possible?

Ever wonder what makes someone more or less likely to recover from stuttering?

Well here's your answer.

Through research Speech-Language Pathologists have found that the following factors give a person who stutters a higher chance to recover or make more progress.

This is called a favorable prognosis. 



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Good Indicators for the Preschool Child

  • Therapy starts before the child has developed fear and avoidance reactions

  • Good parent support and active participation in treatment

  • The child has not been stuttering very long

  • Negative reactions to stuttering have not happened very often

  • The child is not very aware that speaking is more difficult

  • Disfluencies are more easy and bumpy repetitions, not fast and tense yet, and there are little or no prolongations and blocks, no secondary behaviors

  • Child’s cognitive or intellectual potential is normal or above average.


Good Indicators for the School-Age Child

  • No previous unsuccessful treatment

  • A cooperative/supportive family

  • Good interdisciplinary team

  • More severe stuttering pattern (a child that speaks more openly and is willing to work through stuttering is more likely to recover, while a child with a less severe diagnosis probably has avoidance behaviors which hide stuttering and make treatment more difficult)

  • More positive self-concept

  • No other problems (like a learning disorder, reading problems, or a language/articulation disorder)

  • Regular and intense treatment


SEE ALSO: The Best Free App for Speech Therapy


Good Indicators for Adolescents & Adults

  • No previous unsuccessful treatment

  • Cooperative / supportive family

  • Good interdisciplinary team

  • More severe stuttering pattern

  • (This is because someone who speaks more openly and is willing to work through stuttering will make more progress, while someone with a less severe diagnosis probably has avoidance behaviors which hide stuttering and make treatment more difficult)

  • No other problems (like a learning disorder, reading problems, or a language/articulation disorder)

  • Positive motivation and attitude

  • Timing of therapy and the personal choice to start therapy

  • Committed to goals that they planned and scheduled with the help of a Speech-Language Pathologist

  • Personality that is okay with making mistakes and can provide their own reinforcement/praise

  • Positive yet realistic expectations

  • Speech-Language Pathologist’s attitudes and expectations from therapy


(Shapiro, 1999)


SEE ALSO: The Best Books for Speech Therapy Practice

Speech therapy books for targeting multiple goals



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