Our speech pathologists focus on helping your child find the best way to communicate to meet their needs.

This could include signs, symbols, gestures and other forms of assisted communication. They can also help your child if they have trouble swallowing food and drink.

SDN’s speech pathologists come to you and work with your child where they live, play and learn. They include you as part of the team, and actively pass their knowledge, skills and expertise on to you, so therapy can take place every day. This can also reduce the need for so many face to face sessions and provides your family with better value from your NDIS package.

Speech Pathology assessment

Speech Pathologists can also conduct various assessments to determine whether a child requires support with:

• Language skills, including understanding instructions, using words or varied vocabulary and sentence structures to express themselves
• Reading and writing, including reading comprehension
• Speech sound production
• Stuttering
• Social skills
• Play skills

An assessment may be structured or play-based, depending on the child's needs.

Following assessment, a speech pathologist can provide information on areas that a child would benefit from support with and provide strategies. Speech pathologists can also provide intervention to support the development of skills.

An assessment is typically a 1 hour appointment to start with, and you can discuss with your Speech Pathologist whether additional sessions are required. Assessments are usually between 1-3 appointments and takes place at our clinic in Rooty Hill, NSW.

Because our speech pathologists also work as keyworkers as part of a team with occupational therapists, behaviour support practitioners and early intervention practitioners, they have access to the expertise of our team should your child ever need it.