Speech-language pathology can help your child if they’re struggling with communication such as expressing themselves, understanding instructions, pronunciation or stuttering. Speech therapy can build the confidence children need to reach their potential.
Is your child struggling to speak or to be understood?
Learn new skills to help communicate effectively every day.
Experience with complex needs, developmental delay or disability.
Start your journey by completing our referral form today!
What is speech-language pathology?
Speech-language pathology can help children learn to speak and communicate clearly. We use communication skills every day. Learning how to communicate effectively means your child speaks and listens in a way that can have a significant impact on their life — now and in the future.
Our therapists are experienced in working with children who have experienced trauma, complex needs, developmental delay or disability, including Autism.
Speech Pathology Australia is the national peak body for the speech pathology profession in Australia. All our Growing Early Minds speech-language pathologists are certified practising members.
How speech pathology for children can help
Speech-language pathology is about enhancing your child’s communication skills so they can fully participate in everyday life. Every child is different, and the goals will depend on their individual needs. Some aims of speech-language pathology involve working on:
- Literacy skills – reading, writing, and spelling
- Language development – understanding and speaking
- Voice control – quality, volume, tone, pitch and awareness of voice
- Speech development – clarity, articulation, stuttering, dyspraxia
- Cognitive communication skills – problem solving and imagination
- Practical language and social skills – making friends, social interactions
- Feeding and swallowing issues – difficulty coordinating sucking and swallowing, limited food choices etc.
- Oro-motor skills – movement and muscle tone in the jaw, cheeks, lip and tongue and structure of the palate, teeth, and the tonsils
- Tongue Tie– evaluation and education surrounding tongue tie in babies and children
- Tongue Thrust– a behavioural pattern whereby the tongue protrudes between the front top and bottom teeth during speech, swallowing and when at rest
Signs my child may benefit
Speech therapy for children covers a lot of areas. There are a number of signs which could indicate your child may benefit from speech therapy. These include:
- Difficulties reading or writing, making up words, skipping words, mispronouncing, dislikes reading
- Echoing language, repeating back rather than answering a question
- Difficulties in the classroom listening and completing tasks
- Withdrawal from social situations and making friends
- Difficulties with using the correct grammar or words in a sentence and being understood
- Frustration and difficulties expressing themselves
- Difficulties with speech development, articulation, stuttering or dyspraxia
- Attention or concentration difficulties
- Difficulties with voice quality, loudness, and awareness
- Unable to follow directions
- Behavioural problems
- Difficulties eating and swallowing
- Not eating a wide variety of foods and drinks
For more detailed information, communication development milestones and tips from our experts, read through our article The Difference Between Speech and Language Development.
What happens during a session
Formal assessment
A comprehensive formal assessment is an important first step in understanding your child’s current ability, strengths, needs and goals. A formal assessment is usually required for a speech diagnosis, supporting evidence for another diagnosis or funding application. We will complete the assessment and provide a detailed written report about your child’s developmental progress, strategies and early intervention recommendations. Not all children require a formal assessment. Instead, we can provide an informal assessment during a regular therapy appointment.
Therapy
At the initial consultation, we’ll complete an informal assessment to determine your child’s current ability and set some individual goals. Our therapy sessions range from 30, 45 or 60 minute time blocks. During this time we will work on their goals using evidence-based methods.
A session may include fun, play-based games or activities aligned with your child’s interests. This helps to keep them motivated while they develop and practice their new skills. Our therapists work collaboratively with the family, which may include strategies to practice at home or school.
Locations – clinic, mobile and telehealth
Families have the option to visit our clinic in Blacktown (Western Sydney, NSW) or we can see children in their natural everyday environments such as at home, at their child care centre, school or playgroup. Our clinics are also designed to provide telehealth services to families that reside in remote, regional or interstate locations.
Whole school programs are also available. Speak to us to find out how we can work together.
Getting started and next steps
Making an appointment
If you feel therapy might be beneficial contact us today. You don’t need a referral from a GP or paediatrician, although this may help offset the cost of therapy. We will discuss with you the best pathway, fees and provide you with our referral form, along with any other important information we’ve discussed. Alternatively, you can download our referral form directly from our website here. After you complete and submit your referral form we will finalise a service agreement and contact you to discuss the signing and booking of your first consultation.
Fees and funding options
Costs can vary and depends on a number of factors including the time needed per session, the depth of an assessment, location and travel requirements. We’re registered NDIS and Medicare provider and some families may be eligible for financial support or funding packages to help offset the cost of therapy. Learn more about the different funding packages
