Affiliations: Division of Neurology Children's Hospital Los Angeles,
Los Angeles, CA, USA | University of Southern California Keck School of
Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA | Communication and Fluency Specialist, Pasadena, CA,
USA | Department of Neurology, Winnepeg Children's Hospital,
University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
Note: [] Correspondence: Shanti Thirumalai, M.D., Biotronic Inc., 812
Avis Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48108, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract: Stuttering is a common developmental problem that usually remits
spontaneously. In many children with persistent severe stuttering "secondary
stuttering behaviors" are seen. These physical concomitants include
involuntary facial, eye, mouth, neck, shoulder, limb, trunk and pelvic
movements and, sometimes, adventitious sounds. We retrospectively analyzed
videotapes of nine boys with severe persistent developmental stuttering
recorded at their initial evaluation. Secondary stuttering behaviors were noted
in all children. In six of the nine children, these movements and sounds were
identified even during times when the child was not attempting to speak. For
example, these behaviors were identified when the child was relaxed and playing
quietly with a parent. These persistent involuntary movements are essentially
motor and vocal tics. These observations suggest that we may be overlooking
Tourette syndrome in children with persistent developmental stuttering.
