Speech Pathology

Speech Pathology Assessment

Our team offers a comprehensive assessment service. Our initial session with you involves a full assessment of all areas of speech, language, literacy, swallowing/feeding, oromotor skills, social skills, and voice.

The assessment session usually takes up to 1.5 hours. Sometimes, for school-aged clients, the assessment can take up to 2.5 hours to complete all of the necessary tests required. If a longer assessment is likely, we tend to break the assessment into 2 sessions as concentrating for this length of time is very difficult.

We will provide you with a comprehensive report following your assessment, which you can share with your doctor, teacher and other professionals.

Treatment Sessions

We offer individual therapy sessions for either 45 minutes or 60 minutes, depending on your individual goals.

Therapy sessions can be conducted in the clinic, at school, at home, or in the community. We try to provide the therapy in the place that works best for you.

Home exercise programs are also provided in between each therapy session to help you reach your goals faster.

Group Classes

Aphasia group

For adults with aphasia following a stroke. Adults living the community often find themselves isolated socially, especially those who have difficulties with their communication. Our communication group targets conversation skills, practical communication skills (phonecalls, using the computer), and specific skills (word finding, reading, writing). It is a fun group and an opportunity to make friendships with others in the group. These groups run once a month at the Southern Highlands Private Hospital, currently on the 2nd Wednesday of each month 10.00-11.30am.

Social skills

We offer tailor made programs depending on the individuals in the group and use a number of programs including the ‘Stop Think Do’, “Secret Agent Society” and “Talkabout” programs. Social skills group currently running include aged 8-10 years and 10-13 years. We often run a younger group too for those in the early years of school, and can arrange a preschool program on request for small groups within the preschool setting.

Literacy groups

Our literacy groups are shaped based on the skills of each group member. These groups are run once a week during the school term, or as an intensive program in the school holidays.

School readiness

These sessions are offered once a week in Term 4, or as an intensive program in January each year. Key skills worked on in these groups include: listening, taking turns, telling news, pre-literacy skills, language skills including talking in sentences and more!

Getting ready for high school

This program is for children in year 6 wanting to brush-up on their communication and/or literacy skills ready for high school.

Special Programs

Our therapists are trained in a number of special programs including:

Hanen parent training

These evidence based parent or carer training programs can be delivered on a 1:1 basis or in a group setting.

It takes two to talk’ is a program for parents of children (birth to 5) who have language delays.
More than Words’ is a program for parents to help children with autism develop communication skills.

Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Program (LSVT)

LSVT is an effective speech treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. LSVT trains people with PD to use their voice at a more normal loudness level while speaking at home, work, or in the community.

Sounds-Write Literacy Program

Sounds-Write is a first rate phonics program which is gaining momentum across Australian schools as a quality teaching program for all children, especially for those with reading and spelling difficulties. We use this program in our individual and group therapy sessions as part of our toolbox for working with all children and adults with literacy difficulties.

Adult's Services

Voice
Language – difficulty speaking or writing in sentences, or understanding instructions, following stroke or brain injury
Stuttering
Articulation – clear production of speech sounds, including helping those with foreign accents
Literacy – reading, writing and spelling skills
Dyspraxia – unclear speech due to muscle incoordination or planning difficulties
Dysarthria – slurred or unclear speech due to muscle weakness or incoordination
Dysphagia – difficulties with eating, drinking and/or swallowing
Complex communication needs – providing alternative and augmentative communication for adults with sensory, physical or intellectual disabilities

Children's Services

Articulation (speech sounds)
Receptive language (understanding)
Expressive language (speaking in sentences)
School readiness
Literacy skills – reading, writing, spelling and phonological awareness
Complex communication needs – children with multiple disabilities (sensory, physical, intellectual disabilities)
Pre-language skills
Stuttering
Voice
Feeding
Social skills and play skills
Autism spectrum disorders

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