London/Wellington - Research has shown that children who suffer from stuttering can most effectively be treated before they begin school.
A study conducted among children in New Zealand and published in the British Medical Journal showed that 77 percent of preschoolers treated under a method known as the "Lidcome programme" showed a reduction in their stuttering.
More than half of the children studied or 52 percent had managed to achieve what the researchers called "minimum" stuttering or less than one percent.
This compares with a control group of preschool children whose stuttering was left to continue without treatment. After nine months, the frequency of stuttering in the control group was reduced by an average of 43 percent, but just 15 percent had reached a minimum level of stuttering.
The study found that the Lidcome programme method of treatment became less effective after the children had started school.
"Waiting for an extended period to see if natural recovery occurs is not a viable option," said the researchers citing the "negative social and cognitive" consequences of the condition at this age and the ensuing risk of developing chronic stuttering.
The study was conducted by scientists from a number of organisations including the University of Sydney.
Stuttering can affect up to five percent of children and is usually noted between three and four years of age. - Sapa-dpa