Speech & Language Therapy
Communication is the key to connection
Helping children articulate their thoughts, understand others, and build meaningful relationships through play-based therapy.
- Articulation & phonology
- Language delays & disorders
- Social communication
- Fluency (stuttering)
What is speech & language therapy?
Speech & language therapy is specialised intervention that improves a child's ability to understand and express language — including speech clarity, fluency and non-verbal communication.
Signs your child may benefit
- Language delay — not meeting age-appropriate milestones
- Unclear speech or articulation difficulty
- Stuttering (disrupted flow of speech)
- Selective mutism — speaks at home but not at school
- Feeding & swallowing difficulties
- Learning difficulties affecting reading and writing
Our approach
We set functional communication goals your family can actually use at home and in school, then build a step-by-step plan with regular progress reviews — addressing the root cause, not just the surface symptom.
What to expect
An initial assessment identifies the cause, followed by tailored sessions — oral-motor strengthening, fluency strategies and language modelling. Parent involvement and home practice are central to progress.
Common questions about speech & language
- My child isn't speaking like other children his age. What should I do?
- Start with an evaluation by a paediatrician or child psychologist. They may recommend a hearing (audiology) test and refer your child to a speech-language therapist. An early assessment helps pinpoint the cause and the right support.
- My child repeats sentences after me, even when I ask a question. How do I stop it?
- This is called echolalia, and it's a normal part of language development that usually fades by around age 3. At home, use short language tied to what you're doing, model the response you want, and pause to give your child a chance to reply rather than repeat. If it persists past age 3, see a speech therapist.
- My child has a speech delay — how long will therapy take?
- It depends on the number and type of speech errors: more errors generally mean longer treatment. Therapy continues until your child can learn and use language independently. Consistency and home practice shorten the journey.
- My child is slow to talk, but the therapist referred us to occupational therapy. Why?
- Attention or sensory-processing difficulties can make it hard for a child to stay regulated enough to learn language. Addressing those foundations in occupational therapy first often helps speech therapy progress faster.
- My child talks at home but not at school. Is something wrong?
- Consistently not speaking in certain settings (like school) while speaking comfortably at home can indicate selective mutism. A speech therapist or child psychologist can assess and guide a gradual, low-pressure plan.
Recommended reading
Is my child a late talker? Signs your child may need speech therapy
A simple, parent-friendly guide to late talking — what's typical at 18–24 months, the signs worth acting on, and when to see a speech therapist.
6 min read →Autism (ASD)Speech delay or autism? How to tell the difference
Both can mean a child is slow to talk — but they're not the same. The key differences in social communication, gestures and play, and why only an assessment can tell for sure.
7 min read →