A Consideration Of Thiamin Supplement In Prevention Of Stuttering In Preschool Children

Abstract

10 mg 3 times daily of thiamin was administered to stutterers of pre-school age and a placebo to a control group of preschool stutterers. After 1 month treatment was reversed and observation continued another month. Neither the clinicians nor the parents knew which the child was receiving. Observable speech improvement occurred in 55% of all thiamin-treated cases. Improvement occurred primarily in the first 2 weeks of treatment. 80% of the 2- and 3-year olds made improvement, 50% of the 4-year olds and neither of the 2 5-year olds. Thiamin had no effect upon the speech patterns of 7-and 8-year old children. The author feels that thiamin may be helpful in the prevention of stuttering in preschool children.