Speech and Language Assessment and Therapy
Are you concerned about your child's speech, language and communication skills?
Children develop at different rates but if you are concerned about your child's development then don't be afraid to seek advice. If your child does not appear to be developing communication skills at the rate, or in the way you were expecting them to, call for an informal discussion.
How do speech and language difficulties present?
If your child presents with any of the following difficulties, it is best to seek advice early on:
- Late to talk or not joining words and phrases to make sentences
- Limited vocabulary
- Struggling to 'find' or 'remember' words
- Has difficulty pronouncing speech sounds
- Has immature output
- Has difficulty making friends
- Struggling to keep up with the pace at school
- Has difficulty understanding what is being said
- Has difficulty with attention, listening or concentration
What happens during assessment and therapy?
A comprehensive case history will be conducted along with assessment in order to get a detailed profile of your child's communicative strengths and needs. Assessment is through observations and testing, using a range of formal and informal assessments, as appropriate. It will include observing your child in play and interacting with you; responding to questions and instructions etc.
Assessment is commenced as part of the 'Initial consultation' session and is often continued in subsequent sessions depending on the complexity of your child's case. Children with more complex profiles or those requiring assessment for an 'Education, Health and Education plan' will often require 3 sessions to conduct an in-depth assessment. This usually includes observations of the child in school and liaison with teaching staff. Typically, the initial consultation session lasts 2-2.5 hours and further sessions last 1 hour. Initial consultations are usually conducted in the family home.
If it is felt appropriate for your child to have 'therapy', sessions will be offered to meet your child's needs, usually on a weekly or a fortnightly basis. These can be conducted in the clinic, at your home or your child's school or nursery. Therapy sessions last 1 hour - and will be conducted through fun and engaging activities, targeting your child's specific needs.
Are you concerned about your child's speech, language and communication skills?
Children develop at different rates but if you are concerned about your child's development then don't be afraid to seek advice. If your child does not appear to be developing communication skills at the rate, or in the way you were expecting them to, call for an informal discussion.
How do speech and language difficulties present?
If your child presents with any of the following difficulties, it is best to seek advice early on:
- Late to talk or not joining words and phrases to make sentences
- Limited vocabulary
- Struggling to 'find' or 'remember' words
- Has difficulty pronouncing speech sounds
- Has immature output
- Has difficulty making friends
- Struggling to keep up with the pace at school
- Has difficulty understanding what is being said
- Has difficulty with attention, listening or concentration
What happens during assessment and therapy?
A comprehensive case history will be conducted along with assessment in order to get a detailed profile of your child's communicative strengths and needs. Assessment is through observations and testing, using a range of formal and informal assessments, as appropriate. It will include observing your child in play and interacting with you; responding to questions and instructions etc.
Assessment is commenced as part of the 'Initial consultation' session and is often continued in subsequent sessions depending on the complexity of your child's case. Children with more complex profiles or those requiring assessment for an 'Education, Health and Education plan' will often require 3 sessions to conduct an in-depth assessment. This usually includes observations of the child in school and liaison with teaching staff. Typically, the initial consultation session lasts 2-2.5 hours and further sessions last 1 hour. Initial consultations are usually conducted in the family home.
If it is felt appropriate for your child to have 'therapy', sessions will be offered to meet your child's needs, usually on a weekly or a fortnightly basis. These can be conducted in the clinic, at your home or your child's school or nursery. Therapy sessions last 1 hour - and will be conducted through fun and engaging activities, targeting your child's specific needs.
