Am J Psychiatry 1995; 152:1087-1089
Copyright © 1995 by American Psychiatric Association
Lack of effect of clonidine on stuttering in children
M Althaus, HJ Vink, RB Minderaa, SM Goorhuis-Brouwer and MD Oosterhoff
University Center of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Groningen, The Netherlands.
OBJECTIVE: The authors studied the effects of the alpha 2-receptor agonist
clonidine on stuttering in children. METHOD: Using a double- blind
crossover study, they gave placebo or 4 micrograms/kg body weight per day
to 25 stuttering children who were 6-13 years old. Stuttering was measured
by counting the occurrences of four elementary speech difficulties and by
asking parents and teachers to give an overall impression of the amount of
stuttering, as well as their impression of how troublesome the stuttering
was to the children. RESULTS: Clonidine did not improve stuttering.
CONCLUSIONS: Clonidine cannot be recommended as a useful drug for treating
children who stutter.
