Speech Pathology
Children’s Speech Pathology (speech therapy) on the Gold Coast, at our Burleigh Waters and Hope Island clinics and by telehealth. We provide services to all children 0-18 years, with some support also available to young adults with disabilities.
Phone 07 5559 9888
Our experienced team of Speech Pathologists work together to support you in the areas of:
- Speech – Some children have difficulty producing sounds expected for their age, whilst others may have difficulty with planning the movements needed to produce speech.
- Receptive Language – Some children have difficulty following directions or understanding concepts or questions that are expected for their age.
- Expressive Language – Your child may have difficulty expressing all of their ideas in a clear and concise way. This could include answering questions, use of grammar, and putting sentences together.
- Functional Communication and AAC – If your child has difficulty in getting their message across, we specialise in introducing Augmentative and Alternative Communication. We can help to support your child to develop a core vocabulary that is important to them, using gestures, body language, Key Word Sign, symbols, or a speech generating device.
- Feeding – If your child has difficulty feeding, swallowing, chewing or drinking then we can help you. Your child may need support and guidance to transition to a new texture, or to learn to bite, chew, or experience different tastes.
- Workshops – We love to run workshops on Communicating with Sign and Hanen Strategies. Please contact us for more information
Speech clarity and pronunciation
Lots of children mix up sounds while they are learning to talk. If people outside your family often find your child hard to understand, or a sound such as “s”, “r” or “k” is still tricky, you may be wondering whether to get some help.
Every child learns sounds at their own pace, and some sounds naturally come later than others. A child who is hard to understand is not being lazy or careless. A Speech Pathologist can listen carefully, work out what is getting in the way, and help you decide whether support would help now.
Sessions are play-based. Depending on your child’s goals, your therapist may play listening games, show your child where their lips and tongue go for a sound, and practise target sounds in short words first, then in longer words, sentences and everyday talk. A lisp is one kind of speech sound difficulty, and a Speech Pathologist can assess it and work with your child and you on a plan.
Understanding language and following instructions
“Put your shoes on, grab your hat and wait by the door.” For some children, an everyday instruction like this is a lot to take in. If your child often seems not to listen, does only part of what you ask, or answers a different question from the one you asked, they may be finding it hard to understand the words.
Understanding what people say is often called receptive language. Because it happens inside a child’s head, it is easy to miss: a child may look as though they are not paying attention when really the words went past too fast. A Speech Pathologist can help you find out what your child understands and what would help.
Depending on your child’s goals, your therapist may teach new words and ideas through play, practise following instructions that build up a step at a time, and use pictures, gestures and Key Word Sign to support the spoken words. We also coach you in simple changes at home, such as using shorter instructions and adding key words to daily routines like bath time and mealtimes.
Playing, joining in and making friends ask a lot of a child. They need to understand others, share ideas, take turns, cope with noise and change, and manage big feelings, often all at once.
Every child plays and connects in their own way. Some children are happy playing alone or with one close friend, and that is fine. We are a neurodiversity-affirming practice, so our aim is not to make your child play or talk like everyone else. It is to help your child connect in ways that feel good to them, and to help the people around them understand them.
Speech Pathologists work on understanding others, getting your message across, having a conversation, and using language in play and with friends. We value every way your child communicates: words, gestures, signs, sounds or a device. Our Occupational Therapists work on play skills; see Supporting play skills in Occupational Therapy.
When talking feels hard because of worry
Some children talk freely at home but find it very hard, or impossible, to speak in other places such as kindy, school or with people they do not know well. This is not shyness or stubbornness, and pressure to speak usually makes it harder.
Our Speech Pathologists can help with communication without pressure, and our Psychologist supports children with anxiety, worry and fears. Psychology is at our Burleigh Waters clinic and by telehealth; it is not offered at Hope Island.
If your child’s worry about speaking is strong or lasts a long time, please call us on 07 5559 9888 or see your GP.
Reading, spelling and writing
Some children pick up reading quickly. For others, sounding out words, remembering spelling patterns or getting ideas onto paper is slow and tiring, and homework can end in tears. If that sounds like your house, you are not alone. Reading and spelling are built on speech and language skills, which is why Speech Pathologists work on them.
Our Speech Pathologists work on skills such as hearing and breaking up the sounds in words, linking sounds to letters, vocabulary and understanding sentences. A child who finds reading hard is not lazy or “not trying”. Often one of these building blocks needs more support, and a Speech Pathologist can help you find out which.
Read more in How Speech Pathologists build strong readers and writers. If handwriting itself, such as holding a pencil or forming letters, is hard, our Occupational Therapists can help with that side.
Where we see your child
- At our Burleigh Waters clinic in Treetops Square, 2 Classic Way.
- At our Hope Island clinic, 8 Halcyon Way.
- By telehealth, at home.
- Our Therapy Assistants can also practise your child’s speech and language goals at home, at childcare or out in the community, following a plan from their Speech Pathologist.
Getting started
- Send a referral through our contact form, call 07 5559 9888 or come in and see reception. You do not need a letter from a GP; most families refer their child themselves.
- We send you an intake form about your child, what support they may need, and their strengths and interests.
- Our Directors read it and match your child with the therapist best suited to their needs. Some families have an intake meeting with a Director first to set goals together.
Depending on waitlists, a first appointment can be as soon as the next day.
Fees and funding
See Therapist Fees and Funding. We see clients with self-managed or plan-managed NDIS plans. Medicare rebates may apply with a GP or specialist referral, and eligible Medicare rebates can be claimed on the spot at reception. Families with private health extras cover may be able to claim a rebate; the Funding page explains each.
For a worked example, see What will I pay?
Our team
All our Speech Pathologists are Certified Practising Speech Pathologists (CPSP) with Speech Pathology Australia.
Questions families ask
Is speech pathology the same as speech therapy?
Yes. Speech Pathologist is the Australian name for a speech therapist.
What ages do you see?
We provide services to all children 0-18 years, with some support also available to young adults with disabilities.
Do I need a referral from a doctor?
No. You can refer your child yourself through our contact form, by phone or at reception; most families do. A GP or specialist referral is only needed for a Medicare rebate; see Funding.
Can you help with AAC and Key Word Sign?
Yes. We help children build a core vocabulary using gestures, body language, Key Word Sign, symbols or a speech generating device. Our team are certified Key Word Sign instructors, nationally recognised, and we run Accredited Key Word Sign Workshops; see Workshops.
Can my child see a Speech Pathologist and an Occupational Therapist together?
Yes. Some families book joint sessions, where both therapists work with your child at the same time.
Social communication and friendships