PWC present a challenge to the More research around the world, experience and acumen of many especially in under-represented clinicians due to the multifaceted, countries, is needed. The ICA is trying variable and enigmatic nature of to fill in these gaps by encouraging . Therapy goals address the symptoms of each client and focus on research which promotes public and speech rate reduction, improvement of professional awareness, an , prosody, clarity and precision of understanding of the nature of speech, the ability to monitor one's cluttering, and advances in evidence- speech, as well as the awareness of the based treatment approaches. This listener’s feedback to the client’s fast and/or unclear speech. Therapy goals may research will be necessary to ultimately define cluttering with also include facilitating improved language organization, narrative precision, identify it as a unique development, and conversational skills. classification, and treat it with Lasting therapy outcomes for PWC are empirically supported methodologies. dependent upon incorporation of counseling, transfer and maintenance activities.

There has been sustained g rowth in the number of participants in the Yahoo cluttering group, an active online self- Please contact: help group open to anyone interested in Kathleen Scaler Scott, Coordinator cluttering. Consumers share their real [email protected] The and the impact it can have upon their daily life. They also or request a membership form from: share ideas for improving overall Ellen Bennett Lanouette, Membership Chair International Cluttering communication. [email protected] Association http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cluttering Brochure developed by: Klaas Bakker, Isabella Reichel, and Ellen Bennett Lanouette http://associations.missouristate.edu/ICA

The current working definition of cluttering Possible co-existing disorders include: (St. Louis, Myers, Bakker, & Raphael, difficulties with language formulation, The International Cluttering Association 2007), which is widely accepted inadequate organization of thought (ICA) is a not-for-profit organization in internationally, is *... a fluency disorder processes, sound-specific articulation support of people with cluttering (PWC), characterized by a rate that is perceived to disorders, speech motor discoordination, their clinicians, family members, be abnormally rapid, irregular or both for the attention deficit hyperactive disorders community, and researchers interested in speaker (although measured syllable rates (ADHD) and/or other learning disabilities, this unique fluency disorder. It hopes to may not exceed normal limits). These rate auditory processing disorders, Asperger's build on the strength of international abnormalities further are manifest in one or syndrome, and apraxia. cooperation and communication. The ICA's more of the following symptoms: an mission is to increase awareness of excessive number of disfluencies, the cluttering among the public, speech and majority of which are not typical of people language therapists, researchers, and other who stutter; the frequent placement of health professionals. It also seeks to forge pauses and use of prosodic patterns that do international partnerships, create not conform to syntactic and semantic committees, and generate support for constraints; and inappropriate (usually research and clinical practice. It recognizes excessive) degrees of coarticulation among the importance of including those who sounds, especially in multisyllabic words." Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), clutter in increasing awareness of cluttering *The definition does not express all especially those who specialize in fluency and creating self-help groups. It actively symptoms that PWC may experience. disorders, are more familiar with cluttering uses a website for coordinating the above than other professionals. The best treatment Perhaps most frequently, cluttering co-exists activities: outcomes are achieved when cluttering is with , although this is not the case addressed by a professional team which may (http/associations.missouristate.edu/ICA). for some PWC. Often co - existing with include (depending upon individual needs) cluttering are problems with awareness of SLPs, psychologists, educators, audiologists one's own speech (monitoring skills) as well and medical doctors. Central to the as listener reactions. Expression may appear treatment of cluttering is family support. impulsive and out of control evidencing difficulties in staying on topic, and fitting in

with ongoing interactions (pragmatic skills).