Psychiatric disorders in a patient with persistent developmental stuttering

Persistent developmental stuttering (PDS) is a common disorder of speech with no identifiable cause. Psychiatric disorders appear to be related and influence clinical manifestation of PDS. In this case report, we present the clinical evolution of 1 PDS patient submitted to pharmacological treatment with fluoxetine and speech therapy intervention. At the end of 12 weeks of treatment, she evolved from 28 at Beck Depression Inventory; 32 in the Hamilton Scale for Anxiety; 43 and 47, respectively, in the anxiety and avoidance components of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale; and severe speech impairment according Iowa Scale, to 12 at Beck Depression Inventory; 8 at Hamilton Scale for Anxiety; 25 and 21 at Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale anxiety and avoidance components, respectively; and moderate speech impairment. Diagnosing and treating psychiatric symptoms in addition to speech therapy appears to be the best therapeutic approach.