Stuttering and Neurodiversity Across the Lifespan: A Moveable Feast

Area of Science:

• Speech-Language Pathology
• Neurodiversity Studies
• Healthcare Models

Background:

• Traditional stuttering treatment often relies on a singular medical model.
• Emerging neurodiversity perspectives offer alternative frameworks for understanding stuttering.
• Integrating diverse models is crucial for comprehensive client care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the synergy between neurodiversity-affirming social and medical models in stuttering healthcare.
• To advocate for a combined approach for optimal clinical outcomes.
• To highlight the dynamic nature of model integration across the lifespan.

Main Methods:

• This is a viewpoint article, not an empirical study.
• It synthesizes existing concepts from social and medical models of disability.
• It discusses the application of these models to stuttering intervention.

Main Results:

• Neurodiversity-affirming social and medical models are not mutually exclusive but complementary.
• Optimal stuttering care necessitates the integration of both perspectives.
• The contribution of each model varies based on client age, needs, and neuroplasticity.

Conclusions:

• A flexible, combined approach to stuttering healthcare yields the best results.
• An overly rigid adherence to one model can be detrimental, especially in early childhood stuttering.
• Adapting treatment strategies to individual client lifespans and needs is paramount.