Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child needs speech pathology?
It can be helpful to know what typically developing children’s speech and language skills look like at different ages to see whether your child is age-appropriate or behind their peers. If you are unsure about what is expected of your child for their age please refer to ‘speech development’ and ‘language development’ under our Helpful Links.
Does my child need a referral?
No referrals are required. Parents/Carers can self-refer a child.
What should I tell my child before the assessment?
Some children like to be prepared for a new situation. It is usually enough to tell your child that they will be visiting the Parent/Carer’s friend Rachel, looking at some pictures together and playing with toys.
Will you tell the truth about whether my child needs therapy?
Rachel is honest and will tell you if your child needs therapy or does not need therapy. This advice will be based upon your child’s communication skills and how it compares to their age-matched peer’s communication skills.
How much therapy will my child need?
This will be different for each child and depends on their unique communication skill profile. Rachel will be able to provide some information about your child’s intervention needs following their assessment. The progress a child makes in therapy is also unique to each child and is influenced by a number of variables (eg. therapy readiness, concentration, health, motivation, family life, homework compliance). In general, the milder the difficulty the less therapy is required (eg. a mild speech difficulty may take 1 – 5 therapy sessions, a moderate speech difficulty may take 10 therapy sessions, a severe speech difficulty may take 15 therapy sessions or more).
Will I get homework?
Yes, practise is important to encourage any new skill. Parents/Carers are taught how to support and encourage their child’s communication skill development using homework activities. Time is spent problem solving homework compliance issues if needed.
Do you work with children who have NDIS funding?
This is decided on a case by case basis. Rachel is not a registered provider with NDIA, but is able to provide intervention to children whose plan is self-managed. Rachel’s professional development and clinical experience has not focused on children with ASD to date and for this reason she is not best suited to support them. Rachel is able to work with children with NDIS approved funding who have language and speech intervention needs. If your child has NDIS funding, feel free to call Rachel to discuss this option.
