Information for Parents
Eligibility
Who is eligible for an appointment?
Children up to the age of 18 years who experience difficulty with:
• Speech e.g saying “dup” for “cup”, or leaving out the beginning/end sound of a word
• Receptive Language, e.g difficulty following direction
• Expressive Language, e.g difficulty formulating a sentence
• Literacy problems e.g unable to recognise sounds, blend sounds, learn sight words
• Social Difficulties e.g difficulty making friends and interacting in group settings
• Fluency (stuttering) e.g repeating first sounds in a word or the whole word
• Feeding Difficulties, e.g difficulty transferring from puree to solids
• Voice concerns, e.g nasal voice
• Auditory Memory, e.g poor retention of verbal information
Referral to a Speech Pathologist
Referral from a doctor is not necessary for an appointment
Parents, Teachers, Allied Health and Doctors can all refer children for speech pathology assessment.
Whilst a referral from a doctor is not necessary for an appointment, it is required if you intend to claim Medicare rebate (please refer to funding section).
Risk factors
Who might develop a communication difficulty?
People with hearing impairment, repeated ear infections, developmental delay, structural abnormalities, abnormal muscle tone, early feeding difficulties, emotional and social immaturity, congenital abnormalities, neurological conditions, environmental conditions, and family history of language/speech/learning/fluency difficulties.
Initial Appointment
Getting started on the journey
• Your initial appointment will be made based on the time you have available and the time availability of the clinician. The location will be decided based on the needs of your child and family.
• A comprehensive case history will be sent to you prior to the appointment, please fill it in and bring it to your child’s first session along with any relevant medical reports.
• Your child will be assessed based on your concerns and any areas of need seen by the speech pathologist, this may involve both informal and formal standardised testing.
• After assessment you will be provided with a written report stating assessment findings and any recommendations.
• Recommendations may include therapy sessions, at home practice and activities, or monitoring your child for a period of time with a view to re-assess at a later time.
(Please note: for many children successful speech pathology intervention requires follow up work at home. This assists the child to generalise their new skill in their everyday environment)
