Speech Therapy For Kids Sydney

Offering effective speech therapy for kids in Sydney

Speech therapy plays a crucial role in helping children overcome speech, language, and literacy difficulties.

A skilled speech pathologist can help children develop their ability to communicate, address feeding or swallowing problems, and find the best way to meet their unique communication needs, like signs, symbols and gestures — all in a safe, nurturing environment.

At Therapies For Kids, we work with all children with speech difficulties, including those with genetic conditions, deafness, hearing loss, autism, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities. 

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, contact us for an initial consultation! We’ll connect you with an experienced, approachable children’s speech pathologist in Sydney.

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Understanding the role of Speech Language Pathologists

Speech pathologists, also known as speech therapists or speech-language pathologists, are health professionals who specialise in diagnosing and treating children with communication disorders.

We work with a diverse range of conditions, including genetic conditions, deafness and hearing loss, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disability.

Contact us to learn more about speech-language pathology or to book your child’s initial consultation today.

A Speech Language Pathologist can help with:

Speech sounds are the individual sounds we use to make words, like the “b” in “ball” or the “s” in “sun.” Sometimes, children might have difficulty making certain sounds or saying words clearly, which can make it hard for others to understand them. 

Our speech pathologists can:

  • Assess which sounds your child finds challenging.
  • Teach your child how to say different sounds correctly
  • Give you tips and exercises to practice at home.
  • Help improve overall speech clarity so that your child can be better understood

Language allows individuals to share thoughts, ask questions, express feelings, and understand what others say. It involves both understanding and speaking.

Our speech pathologists can help with:

  • Receptive Language (Understanding): The ability to understand words, sentences, questions and follow instructions.
  • Expressive Language (Speaking): Being able to share ideas, feelings, and thoughts using a variety of words and sentence types.
  • Pragmatics (Social Language): Using language socially like in conversations and using skills such as taking turns, being able to ask for help or changing how you speak depending on who you’re talking to.

Stuttering is a speech disorder that affects the flow of speech, making it difficult for a child to speak smoothly. This can look like:

  • repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words
  • prolongations (stretching out sounds) 
  • blocks or interruptions in speech.

Our speech pathologists can help by using techniques to improve fluency and build confidence, making communication easier and more natural.

Literacy skills involve the following 

  • Pre-literacy or phonological awareness skills: Learning how to identify sounds, rhyme and segmenting syllables
  • Reading/Phonics: Learning how to sound out and recognise words.
  • Vocabulary: Expanding the number of words your child knows and uses.
  • Comprehension: Helping your child understand and make sense of what they read.
  • Writing: Supporting your child in expressing ideas clearly on paper.

Our speech pathologists aim to make reading and writing easier and more enjoyable for your child.

AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) includes methods of communication that go beyond speaking. Children with communication difficulties often benefit from AAC to help support their speaking and listening skills. Some examples of AAC are: 

  • Sign (AUSLAN or Key Word Sign): Using hand signs to communicate.
  • Gestures: Simple movements to show what they need or want.
  • Symbols: Using pictures or visuals to express ideas.
  • Assistive technologies: Tools like communication devices or apps to help children express themselves.

Our speech pathologists can trial these approaches in order to tailor them to your child’s unique needs so that they have the tools to communicate more effectively and confidently with others.

Some children face challenges related to feeding and swallowing, which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and other health issues. These can include the following:

  • Refusing certain textures of food (e.g., only eating smooth foods like yogurt, avoiding crunchy or chewy textures).
  • Coughing or choking while eating or drinking, which can be a sign of trouble swallowing.
  • Taking a long time to finish meals, which could mean difficulty chewing or coordinating swallowing.
  • Difficulty chewing food properly or moving food around in the mouth.
  • Frequent spitting out or gagging on food.
  • Food or liquid coming out of the nose during eating or drinking.
  • Not gaining weight or growing as expected due to poor nutrition.
  • Excessive drooling or difficulty managing saliva.

Speech pathologists can assess and address these disorders, providing strategies and techniques to improve feeding skills and ensure safe swallowing

Conditions we treat

Our paediatric speech pathologists are equipped to work with children with various conditions. Here are some of the conditions commonly treated by speech pathologists in Sydney:

Contact us to book speech therapy sessions at Therapies For Kids! We’ll start with an initial consultation to get a better, well-rounded understanding of your child’s needs.

FAQs about speech therapy for kids in Sydney

Yes, we are a registered NDIS provider; we will work with you to ensure your NDIS experience is as easy and seamless as possible. Our team can help navigate the NDIS and ensure you get the right services and support to help your child.

There is no one-size-fits-all answer, as speech development varies in children. However, early intervention is often recommended. If a child shows signs of speech or language delay by age 2 or 3, it might be time to consult a speech therapist.

Signs can include delayed speech development, trouble pronouncing words or speech sounds, difficulty understanding spoken language, limited vocabulary for their age, or problems with social communication.

Speech therapy techniques vary based on your child’s age, needs, and difficulties. Our therapists may use interactive activities, games, exercises, or specialised software to engage your child in learning and practising speech skills.

The duration of speech therapy depends on the child’s specific needs. Some children show improvement within a few months, while others may need ongoing support over several years.

Yes, parental involvement is crucial. Our speech therapists often provide strategies and exercises for parents to work on with their children at home, enhancing the effectiveness of the therapy.

Not sure if your child requires speech therapy? Book your initial consultation today with our experienced Speech Language Pathologists!

Enquire now or learn more about conditions we treat.

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