1
00:00:13,091 --> 00:00:16,777
Good afternoon everyone.

2
00:00:17,347 --> 00:00:25,848
My name is Sarita Koushik.

3
00:00:26,518 --> 00:00:31,522
Five weeks ago I gave birth 
to my first child.

4
00:00:31,792 --> 00:00:39,958
His name is Marley.

5
00:00:43,058 --> 00:00:46,631
I was asked to deliver my speech today 
in approximately five minutes.

6
00:00:47,621 --> 00:00:48,813
As you can see,

7
00:00:48,813 --> 00:00:51,902
five minutes might not be enough time 
for a person who stutters

8
00:00:51,902 --> 00:00:53,673
to really get their message across.

9
00:00:54,643 --> 00:00:55,860
As a matter of fact,

10
00:00:55,860 --> 00:00:59,142
many adults who stutter will not speak 
in a public event like this.

11
00:01:00,972 --> 00:01:04,984
Research shows that advanced stuttering 
is linked to mental health disorders

12
00:01:05,424 --> 00:01:07,585
including social phobia and anxiety;

13
00:01:07,875 --> 00:01:10,846
therefore, an early intervention program 
is essential.

14
00:01:12,786 --> 00:01:15,219
However, receiving treatment 
in a timely manner

15
00:01:15,219 --> 00:01:17,814
is not always possible, for two reasons.

16
00:01:18,464 --> 00:01:23,102
One: The demands for speech and language 
pathology have increased around the world

17
00:01:23,592 --> 00:01:28,178
and have doubled to 16 months in parts of 
Australia during the last year.

18
00:01:29,458 --> 00:01:32,017
And two: To meet those demands,

19
00:01:32,267 --> 00:01:36,801
clinical institutions are reducing the 
number of allocated treatment sessions

20
00:01:37,211 --> 00:01:41,017
which may not be enough for stuttering 
child to complete the treatment process.

21
00:01:42,207 --> 00:01:45,018
One such treatment is called 
the Lidcombe Program;

22
00:01:45,018 --> 00:01:47,761
it's an early intervention 
approach for stuttering.

23
00:01:49,521 --> 00:01:52,038
There are two stages of 
a Lidcombe program.

24
00:01:52,508 --> 00:01:57,148
In stage one, the parent and child 
visit clinician on a weekly basis

25
00:01:57,548 --> 00:02:01,790
and this continues until the child reaches
near zero levels of stuttering

26
00:02:02,740 --> 00:02:06,031
and then the child enters the 
second stage which is maintenance.

27
00:02:07,441 --> 00:02:08,591
So the question is:

28
00:02:08,591 --> 00:02:13,130
How long does sessions 
take during stage one?

29
00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:19,751
Well, evidence shows that in stage one 
it takes 21 weekly clinic visits

30
00:02:20,111 --> 00:02:25,024
for 90% of children to reach 
zero level of stuttering;

31
00:02:25,504 --> 00:02:29,411
however, with increased caseloads 
and decreased numbers of clinic visits,

32
00:02:29,931 --> 00:02:32,653
clinicians are not adhering 
to weekly sessions,

33
00:02:32,973 --> 00:02:33,973
but instead they're offering

34
00:02:33,973 --> 00:02:34,973
more intensive

35
00:02:34,973 --> 00:02:36,012
and less intensive treatment

36
00:02:36,012 --> 00:02:37,729
than the standard.

37
00:02:38,299 --> 00:02:43,965
So, the aim of my research is to evaluate 
the effects of varying treatment schedules

38
00:02:44,265 --> 00:02:48,230
on number of clinic visits during 
stage one of the Lidcombe program.

39
00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:53,778
Children in my study are randomly assigned
to one of three treatment options.

40
00:02:54,198 --> 00:02:55,198
In the first group

41
00:02:55,198 --> 00:02:56,601
they're receiving

42
00:02:56,601 --> 00:02:58,004
weekly treatment

43
00:02:58,004 --> 00:02:59,423
and we'll compare that

44
00:02:59,423 --> 00:03:00,841
to the other two groups.

45
00:03:00,841 --> 00:03:02,260
In the second they receive 
twice weekly treatment

46
00:03:02,580 --> 00:03:05,569
and in the third group they receive 
treatment every fortnight.

47
00:03:06,829 --> 00:03:11,031
So findings from my study will help 
clinicians better manage their caseloads

48
00:03:11,491 --> 00:03:14,281
will help clinical institutions make 
informed decision

49
00:03:14,281 --> 00:03:16,543
regarding optimal treatment sessions,

50
00:03:16,923 --> 00:03:19,651
but ultimately my research 
will benefit the children.

51
00:03:20,231 --> 00:03:23,823
Not only will they receive an 
effective treatment schedule

52
00:03:23,823 --> 00:03:26,183
in the management of their stuttering,

53
00:03:26,183 --> 00:03:30,111
but we will stop the stuttering 
before it advances,

54
00:03:30,401 --> 00:03:34,453
ao that each child will have the equal 
opportunity to speak in public events

55
00:03:34,453 --> 00:03:36,154
like TEDxNewy.

56
00:03:36,394 --> 00:03:38,029
Thank you very much.

57
00:03:38,029 --> 00:03:40,329
(Applause)