Identifying The Symptoms

Does your child have difficulty with any of the following?

Expressive Language
  • Naming people, places, things, actions etc.
  • Using words to communicate
  • Constructing sentences
  • Using grammatical forms e.g. he/she, is/are
  • Learning new words

 

Receptive Language
  • Following simple instructions
  • Understanding concepts such as ‘under’, ‘big’, ‘below’.
  • Understanding object functions such as ‘the chair is for sitting’.
  • Understanding word meanings

 

Speech production
  • Substitute sounds in words eg. “tat” instead of “cat”, “wed” instead of “red”
  • Delete sounds in words eg. “bow” instead of “boat”
  •  Overall speech is unclear to unfamiliar people
Social skills
  • Making friends
  • Responding appropriately to conflict, disappointment, change in routine, losing, sharing and other complex social scenarios.
  • Using language appropriately in different situations e.g. suitable language for friends versus a teacher or parent.

 

Literacy
  • Pre literacy skills (phonological awareness) e.g. counting syllables, rhyming, counting and changing sounds in words
  • School age literacy skills e.g. sounds to letter knowledge, short vowel and long vowel knowledge, spelling rules, sight words, reading, spelling and punctuation

 

Fluency
  • Demonstrating fluent, clear speech that is free from repetitions and or prolongations of sounds/wordss

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Our Methods

After discussing your concerns regarding your child’s communication development, your speech pathologist will determine whether an informal or formal assessment will be suitable for your child. Generally, younger children are more suited to informal assessment, whereas older children are able to concentrate for longer periods, which is required when undergoing formal assessment.

Assessment

An informal assessment (approx. 45 minutes) includes:

  • gathering case history information
  • a communication checklist
  • a short video of your child talking in conversation
  • play based observation

A formal assessment (approx. 60 minutes) includes:

  • gathering case history information
  • a short video of your child talking in conversation
  • commencement of a standardised language or literacy assessment battery.
    • If more time is required to complete the assessment, your child will need to return to the clinic at a later date.
Therapy

30 minutes session includes:

  • Brief discussion with parent about child’s progress
  • Therapy session involving play and paper based tasks (20 minutes)
  • Handover regarding homework requirements until next visit (5 minutes)

40 minutes session includes:

  • Brief discussion with parent about child’s progress
  • Therapy session involving play and paper based tasks (30 minutes)
  • Handover regarding homework requirements until next visit (5 minutes)

60 minutes session includes:

  • Brief discussion with parent about child’s progress
  • Therapy session involving play and paper based tasks (50 minutes)
  • Handover regarding homework requirements until next visit (5 minutes)

The First Visit – What to Expect

A speech pathologist will go through a Case History Form to discuss your child’s hearing health, medical history and overall development

Be honest and open about any concerns which you may have

You will be expected to sign a Consent Form allowing the speech pathologist to conduct the assessment

Bring in copies of any recent audiology, medical or allied health reports for the speech pathologist to review

Either an informal or formal assessment will be conducted depending on your child’s age and concerns

At the end of the assessment, you will be provided with a brief, verbal summary of results

The speech pathologist will indicate if further assessment is required, therapy is indicated or if a period of monitoring is required

Once the results have been collated and analysed, a case manager will contact you to further discuss a plan for your child

If therapy is required, then an ongoing weekly time slot is scheduled for your child

Education and counselling will also be provided as a part of your case management

Written reports are emailed within 7-10 working days after the completion of the assessment

Let’s Talk

 

How to pay for clinic services

  • Pay on the day of service via EFTPOS facilities or with cash.
  • Credit card payments are not accepted.
  • Pre purchase therapy sessions online to save time and money: We offer a  10% discount if you prepay 6 sessions or more