A retrospective file audit of concomitant disorders reported from a student-led paediatric stuttering clinic

Stuttering in early childhood can co-occur with other disorders at variable rates. Retrospective file audits allow readily accessible data collection, on larger numbers, over longer periods of time. Files from dedicated stuttering clinics allow insights into specific phenomenon potentially not easily captured in prospective studies. This study aimed to present rates of reported concomitance in childhood stuttering from a student-led stuttering clinic and explore related case variable factors for children with and without reported concomitance. A retrospective file audit was conducted for children aged up to six years who attended a student-led stuttering clinic across a 13-year period. One hundred and eighty-one files were reviewed, 45.9% reported one or more concomitant disorders. The disorders most often concomitant with stuttering were SSD and DLD respectively. Nil differences between reported concomitant vs. non-concomitant cases were found in relation to stuttering severity or frequency. Reported concomitance rates are consistent with those previously reported in clinical populations. Concomitance may impact on timing of referral/commencement of treatment.