What is it about?

This is a brief reflection regarding speech breathing and examining the characteristics of breathing over the course of development.

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Why is it important?

After reviewing current literature, it appears that in the field of speech-language pathology few articles are available that provide thorough discussion of the development of speech breathing in typically developing children in contrast to children with speech problems, including children who stutter. The focus of the current brief note is to suggest some practical avenues for future studies. This article would be meaningful for researchers interested in speech development, stuttering, developmental processes, and the relationship of speech breathing to stuttering.

Perspectives

My current article was motivated by recent study regarding the causes of stuttering. I was challenged by a colleague to rethink some approaches to therapy. Speech-language pathologists often use strategies that bring attention to managing the breath stream for speech as a way to modify stuttering. But I soon discovered that there is no comprehensive treatment of the developmental course of breathing. It is difficult to find resources that clearly depict the neurologic mechanisms that guide breathing and the modifications that occur during speaking. Such a work would add much to the literature and our understanding.

Dr. Nola T. Radford
University of TN Health Science Center

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: A Research Note to Encourage Study of Speech Breathing in Children Who Stutter, Perceptual and Motor Skills, July 2016, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/0031512516660702.
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