Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
As parents, you know your child better than anyone. If you have concerns with your child’s ability to understand or use language, then we advise getting their speech and language assessed.
You might seek help if they show some of the following signs:
Your child is getting frustrated, aggressive or withdrawn
Your child doesn’t seem to be remembering/using new vocabulary
They dribble excessively
You think they are talking meaningfully, but they are still very unclear
Their sentences don’t seem to be getting any longer
If they often seem to not understand what to do – especially if it is something you have done many times before
Your child has trouble concentrating and paying attention
Your child’s ability to answer questions doesn’t seem to improve
Your child has difficulties learning to read and write
What else might I notice if my child is having language problems?
Children may also:
say inappropriate things when spoken to
make comments which may be interpreted as rude or hurtful
have difficulty socialising
tire easily or
become distracted.
You can look in our Developmental Milestones section to see what the expectations are for children at different ages.
What age does my child need to be to access speech therapy?
As early as possible!
Research has proven that Early Intervention (before or around 2 years of age) on a child with a communication delay is linked to an overall better prognosis in all areas of development compared to children that begin therapy later.
Regardless of what age you start speech therapy, our tailored therapy approach to your child’s needs will assist them in reaching their individual goals.
How often does my child need to come to therapy?
Most of our clients attend weekly therapy sessions, however the frequency of therapy sessions is determined based on your child’s needs. Evidence has shown that the more often an individual attends therapy sessions, the quicker they show signs of improvement. At Chatterbee Speech Pathology we understand that private therapy sessions can become very costly, so we endeavour to work with the needs of the children and their parents to find a suitable balance for each family.
Can I sit in on the session?
You are welcome to sit in on your child’s therapy session. As the therapy sessions take place at school sometimes the therapy times change due to scheduling conflicts at the school. Your child’s therapist can give you an approximate therapy time if you wish to attend the session.
How long will therapy take to treat a communication delay?
There is no way to determine how long therapy will take to treat a communication delay as it depends on a variety of factors including:
The severity of your child’s communication delay
The child’s ability to learn new information as well as their ability to recall this information
The amount of homework and practice that occurs outside of the session
How does school-based therapy work?
As we are a mobile speech pathology service, all our therapy sessions are conducted at schools or preschools during school hours. This service needs to be a collaboration between the child’s teacher and school as well as the child’s parents. As a result, the school or preschool will need to give approval for this service to take place.
Providing therapy at school allows us to have direct contact with your child’s teacher allowing us to modify therapy goals based on areas of concern that have been identified within the classroom.
We use an online app to provide confidential feedback to both the child’s parents and teachers following each assessment or therapy session.
Do you work with adults?
No, as a practice we work solely with preschool and school aged children.
Do you have a clinic?
No, we are a mobile speech pathology service.
Is there any funding or rebates available to assist with the cost of therapy?
Yes, there is a variety of funding options available that you may be eligible for including the Medicare Chronic Disease Management Plan. Have a look at the Financial Assistance section for more information.
How do I leave feedback or make a complaint?
At Chatterbee Speech Pathology we welcome any kind of feedback and we take all complaints seriously.
Should you wish to leave feedback or make a complaint please email us at mail@chatterbee.com.au, call us on 0415 464 142 or write to us at PO Box 129, Winston Hills, NSW, 2153.
If you feel your complaint has not been addressed you can contact Speech Pathology Australia.