We're here to help improve communication

Our Speech Pathologists support children and young people to develop their communication skills and/or feeding.

Our team works with children aged 0 to 6 years before starting at school, including NDIS Early Childhood Approach.

For children who will be commencing school in 2025 referrals for Community Health Speech Pathology will be accepted up to the 1st of July 2024.

We can also support children 7-12 years with a NDIS plan.

Speech Pathology

Children and families are referred to our speech service to:

  • provide guidance to parents/carers to support their child’s communication
  • help children learn how to say their words clearly at an age-appropriate level
  • improve a child’s ability to follow instructions, and to use words and sentences
  • support children to learn to play and socialise with other children, friends and family
  • assist a child to read body language, facial expression and interpret hidden social meanings
  • support challenging behaviours and learn positive ways of communicating needs and wants
  • assist in the treatment of stuttering
  • improve voice use and care
  • assist with feeding and eating difficulties

Referral to speech pathology could be considered if your child is:

  • not using words by 18 months of age
  • not joining two words together by two years of age
  • hard to understand by three years of age
  • having difficulties following instructions
  • has difficulty interacting with other children or forming friendship
  • stuttering
  • using a nasal, loud or hoarse voice
  • having difficulty swallowing, eating or drinking, or is a ‘fussy’ eater

We provide the following services:

  • screening and assessment
  • individual and group therapy programs
  • home practice ideas, education and support for parents/carers
  • referral to another service when needed
  • information on community programs
  • secondary consultation (to kinder teachers, doctors, maternal and child health nurses)_

Funding

Service Offered

  • Drysdale
  • In-home
  • Early Learning Centres / School visits
  • Telehealth
  • Groups (contact to find out more)