Speech: stuttering, genetics and intervention

What causes some people to stutter? It's often believed that trauma or anxiety is the cause, but world-first research has found a genetic link to stuttering, allowing for life-changing early intervention.

Our host David Karsten is joined by Professor Janet Beilby, an internationally renowned stuttering expert and Director of the Curtin Stuttering Treatment Clinic (CSTC). They discuss how Beilby and her colleagues have pinpointed the genes associated with stuttering, meaning intervention can happen much sooner, which is crucial for managing the condition. 

David and Janet also talk about the the impact stuttering can have on a person's life, and how the CSTC helps to manage stuttering and other fluency disorders in children, adults and the elderly. 

  1. What is stuttering? [01:16]
  2. Challenges faced by people who stutter [05:52]
  3. The genetic link to stuttering [11:05]
  4. ‘Genes aren’t destiny’ [19:27]
  5. Fostering resilience in kids [29:44]
  6. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy [31:00]
  7. Future directions in speech science [40:03]

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Connect with our guests

Professor Janet Beilby

Janet is a leading speech pathology clinician, researcher, educator and director of the Curtin Stuttering Treatment Clinic (CSTC). In July this year, Janet co-published world-first research in Nature Genetics that pinpointed the genetic markers for stuttering. 

As director of CSTC, Janet has translated research into life-changing outcomes for over 10,000 clients, trained hundreds of students and been awarded over half a million dollars in research funds to investigate aspects of stuttering disorders, as well as dementia and virtual education.

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Transcript

Read the transcript: https://thefutureof.simplecast.com/episodes/speech/transcript

Behind the scenes

Host: David Karsten
Producer: Emilia Jolakoska
Content writer: Zoe Taylor
Executive producer: Natasha Weeks

First Nations Acknowledgement

Curtin University acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the First Peoples of this place we call Australia, and the First Nations peoples connected with our global campuses. We are committed to working in partnership with Custodians and Owners to strengthen and embed First Nations’ voices and perspectives in our decision-making, now and into the future.

Curtin University supports academic freedom of speech. The views expressed in The Future Of podcast may not reflect those of Curtin University.

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