Kid Sense Speech Therapy is committed to helping children overcome communication, play and learning developmental challenges. Our clinicians work with kids in the home, child care and kindergarten environments, and schooling settings.
We have specialised expertise in speech, language, cognitive communication and oral/feeding/swallowing disorders. We offer a multi-disciplinary approach with on-site occupational therapy services. For more speech therapy in Adelaide, check this out.
What is speech therapy?
Speech therapy involves a long series of treatment sessions, one-on-one or in groups. It also consists of various exercises for you to do at home. It is important because therapy aims to develop skills that can be used in any environment, not just in one specific setting with a therapist.
Children with articulation disorders (such as a lisp or swapping certain sounds for others) may significantly improve with appropriate treatment. Those with fluency disorders (such as stuttering or cluttering) might be able to reduce the number of pauses in their speech or enhance the speed and smoothness of their speech.
For those with voice disorders such as chronic cough or paradoxical vocal fold dysfunction, referral to a joint ENT/speech pathologist examination and treatment may be beneficial. Some statutory health insurance covers these costs. Others have a fixed amount you need to pay yourself, known as a copayment. You can check what is covered with your statutory health insurance here.
What are the benefits of speech therapy?
It can also help people with stuttering, articulation or phonological disorders and address literacy and language delays and impairments. It can even help those who have difficulty swallowing or eating. In addition to improving speaking skills, it can also improve other skills like social and pragmatic language skills.
It can help improve receptive language in children with autism or Down syndrome by assisting them to understand the meanings of words and sentences. It can also help kids with behavioural issues that their lack of communication skills may cause. For this reason, children with speech issues must receive therapy early on to get the most benefit. Thankfully, statutory health insurance schemes often cover this treatment.
How do I know if I need speech therapy?
If your child has difficulty talking, understanding and using language or has a swallowing disorder, it may be time to see a Speech Pathologist. Talk to your GP, child and family health nurse or contact Pop’s and book a free consultation.
A speech and language assessment will help your Speech Pathologist understand what needs to be done. They can then tailor therapy sessions to your child’s needs. Therapy can occur in clinical spaces, patient homes or through telehealth.
Difficulty following instructions, poor grammar, stuttering (stammering) or weak oral motor skills also indicate the need for intervention. You can ask your GP for a referral or check with private health insurance and NDIS to see if you are eligible for additional rebates. For more speech therapy in Adelaide, check this out.
How do I find a speech therapist?
Talking to your GP or health visitor is the first step if you have concerns about your child’s speech and language. They will be able to refer you to a local speech pathologist. You can also find them through online directories or on state associations’ websites.
Your therapist will get to know you or your child and create a safe environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves. Based on their evaluation, they will then develop a speech and language therapy plan. This plan will outline specific speech and language goals to focus on during sessions.
At ABA for Change, we believe parents are critical to your child’s success. A combination of speech therapy and applied behaviour analysis is the best approach for children with communication difficulties. Our speech pathologists work around Adelaide, Fleurieu Peninsula and some country areas, offering in-home visits. Book a free introductory call today! For more speech therapy in Adelaide, check this out.