[Current status of stuttering therapy in preschool and school-age children in the Federal Republic of Germany: results of a questionnaire study among therapists and analysis of the literature].

It is evident that no empirical research has been carried out within the preschool age-group of stuttering children and also that information on the subject published in international and especially in the Anglo-American literature has not received the attention of German therapists. Rather than concentrating upon the stuttering child's speech and language, they attempt to convey to the child a greater pleasure in speaking and in communicating; this may result in symptoms that could aggravate prognosis. More than half of the therapists maintain the same attitude toward school-age children. The review of the literature and the replies to the questionnaire show that German therapists require new orientation toward scientific investigation and new concepts in the treatment of stuttering preschool children.