Six months ago, an SLP evaluated 4-year-old Molly's speech fluency. Based on the previous evaluation, what is the most appropriate conclusion regarding her need for fluency therapy?

Six months ago, an SLP evaluated 4-year-old Molly's speech fluency. Based on the previous evaluation, what is the most appropriate conclusion regarding her need for fluency therapy?

• A. Molly likely requires intensive speech therapy.
• B. Molly's fluency development is within normal limits and does not warrant reevaluation.
• C. Molly's disfluencies are indicative of early stuttering.
• D. Molly should be enrolled in a fluency intervention program.

Answer: (B)

The conclusion that Molly's fluency development is within normal limits and does not warrant reevaluation is appropriate based on the context of her age and typical speech development patterns. At 4 years old, many children experience disfluencies as part of normal speech development. These can include repetitions of sounds and syllables, or occasional prolongations of sounds, which often arise during language acquisition and do not necessarily indicate a fluency disorder like stuttering. If the SLP's previous evaluation indicated that Molly's speech fluency was typical for her age, it suggests that her speech patterns are developmental rather than problematic. Children usually outgrow these patterns as their language skills mature. Therefore, if there were no significant concerns noted in the prior assessment and her disfluencies are common for a child her age, it is reasonable to conclude that she currently does not need fluency therapy or immediate reevaluation. This avoids unnecessary interventions and allows for continued natural development of her speech skills.

The conclusion that Molly's fluency development is within normal limits and does not warrant reevaluation is appropriate based on the context of her age and typical speech development patterns. At 4 years old, many children experience disfluencies as part of normal speech development. These can include repetitions of sounds and syllables, or occasional prolongations of sounds, which often arise during language acquisition and do not necessarily indicate a fluency disorder like stuttering.

If the SLP's previous evaluation indicated that Molly's speech fluency was typical for her age, it suggests that her speech patterns are developmental rather than problematic. Children usually outgrow these patterns as their language skills mature. Therefore, if there were no significant concerns noted in the prior assessment and her disfluencies are common for a child her age, it is reasonable to conclude that she currently does not need fluency therapy or immediate reevaluation. This avoids unnecessary interventions and allows for continued natural development of her speech skills.