We usually see a child for the first time after a parent, teacher or health professional has referred them for a speech assessment or a speech and language assessment. This is generally after observing what they believe to be a delay or a difficulty of some kind in the child’s communication skills. But when I…

We often hear the words speech and language used interchangeably. And while they might mean the same thing when we’re talking casually about communication, to a speech pathologist, these words have very distinct meanings. Speech refers to the SOUND of what is being said. It is the sounds we make when we’re speaking such as…

Over the years, countless families have come to see me concerned that their little one is ‘not talking yet’ or ‘only has a few words’. Although this can be understandably worrying for parents, particularly when friends or family’s kids are taking great strides in their development, it’s often something speech therapy sessions can greatly assist…