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CHANGING REFERRAL PATTERNS TO ENSURE EARLIER IDENTIFICATION OF DYSFLUENT PRE‐SCHOOLERS
Author(s) -
Christie Elaine,
Evesham Margaret
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
international journal of language and communication disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.101
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1460-6984
pISSN - 1368-2822
DOI - 10.3109/13682829809179450
Subject(s) - referral , psychology , stuttering , family medicine , developmental psychology , medicine
There has been a paucity of empirical research reported in the stuttering literature into dysfluency referral patterns and activities which promote early referral. Preliminary results of a three year UK‐wide study are presented which illustrate how specific activities can positively influence the referral patterns of general practitioners, health visitors and other professionals. Analysis of pre‐project data has identified current UK trends in paediatric dysfluency referrals (n=2356), from which speech and language therapists (SLTs) can recognise specific aspects for individual service development. The current study describes the pre‐ and post‐project referral trends of 12 community trusts. Data reveal that time lags can be reduced in order that more dysfluent pre‐schoolers see a SLT at a clinically optimal time.