Differential Diagnostical Criteria and Treatment of Children Stuttering

Alexi Mindadze, Nana Geladze, Giorgi Natriashvili

Stuttering affects about 5 percent of the population, that its incidence is highest during preschool years, and that remission rates are high, especially during the first twelve to eighteen months after onset. The aim of present paper is elucidate differential-diagnostical criteria of stuttering and select optimal therapeutical tactic. 137 patients with stuttering of age from 2 to 14 years have been investigated. Patients were divided into 2 groups: organic form of stuttering (62 patients) and neurotic form of stuttering (75 patients). All patients were subjected to EEG investigation; results were divided into 3 groups. We used 3 kind of treatment: with tranquilizators, antidepressants and in 23 cases with Sodium Valproate. The conducted investigations have shown, that EEG method at 35% of patients reveals different types of abnormalities. This act proves a practical importance of EEG investigation in identification forms and optimal treatment of stuttering. In 67% of patients we got the positive therapeutic effect. Treatment with Sodium Valproat was effective in ~50% of patients. The best outcome was observed in cases of early diagnosed stuttering and the worse outcome was observed in cases of chronic stuttering.

Keywords:  stuttering, EEG, ambidexterity, speech disorder, sodium valproat, brain mapping