Speech Pathology for Children and Young People

Paediatric speech pathologists work within the multidisciplinary team to support children and their families to improve communication and literacy skills. Our speech pathology team can help children to build their skills in:

• Communication and language:
  • Receptive language, understanding words, directions and concepts
  • Expressive language, using visuals, gestures, words and phrases to communicate needs, thoughts and ideas
  • Vocabulary development and sentence building
  • Functional communication across home, school and community settings
  • Building confidence in interactions with peers and adults
• Speech sound development, intelligibility in structured and naturalistic contexts
• Fluency, assessment and support for stuttering
• School participation:
  • Managing communication demands in the classroom
  • Functional language for learning, understanding teacher instructions and peer interaction
  • Pre-literacy and literacy development

Early language and late talkers. Support for toddlers and young children who are slow to start talking, or who understand more than they can say, to build early words, understanding and connection.

Speech sounds and clarity. Help for children whose speech is hard to understand, working on the sounds and patterns of spoken words so they can be understood by family, friends and teachers.

Language and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Support for children who find it hard to understand language or to put words and sentences together, at home and at school.

Stuttering and fluency. Evidence-based support for children who stutter, working with the child and family to build confident, comfortable communication.

Spoken-language foundations for reading and literacy. Support for the spoken-language skills that underpin reading and spelling. Where a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia may be involved, we work alongside our psychology assessment team.

An episode of care usually begins with an assessment, which helps the speech pathologist understand your child's strengths and needs and plan therapy accordingly. Where a formal assessment and written report are required, the estimated cost is approximately $650, and the speech pathologist can confirm this with you based on what is involved. Therapy is then tailored to your child's goals and reviewed over time.

For children under 12, the intake session is parent only, which gives the speech pathologist time to gather a full history and understand your priorities before working directly with your child. For young people aged 12 and over, whether the young person attends the intake is at the parent's discretion.

Therapy is planned around goals that matter to your child and family. Sessions are practical and, where possible, playful, so that your child stays engaged. The speech pathologist will suggest activities and strategies to use at home and, with your consent, share advice with your child's school so that progress is supported across settings. Goals are reviewed regularly, and the plan is adjusted as your child develops.

Children make the most progress when the people around them are part of the plan. We involve parents and carers in setting goals and in carrying strategies into everyday routines. With your permission, we can also liaise with teachers so that communication is supported in the classroom and playground, which helps skills transfer to the settings where your child spends their day.

The fees above are our private fees. For NDIS-funded appointments, speech pathology is charged in line with the current NDIS price guide. You can find our full fee information on the fees and referrals page, and read more about NDIS services.

So that we can direct families to the right support, please note that our speech pathology service is not able to take referrals where the primary need is feeding or swallowing, or where the primary need is augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). If your child's main need is in one of these areas, we recommend seeking a speech pathologist who specialises in that area, and your GP or paediatrician can help you find a suitable provider.

To arrange speech pathology for your child, please call Hunter Children's Clinics on 02 4072 1877. You may also be interested in our occupational therapy and psychology services.

Speech pathology often works alongside our autism assessment, ADHD and psychology assessment services.

Related reading: what to expect from a parent-only intake session, what a developmental paediatrician does, signs your child may need speech therapy, stuttering in children, and speech, language and early literacy.

Our speech pathology team

Speech pathology at Hunter Children's Clinics is provided by Claire Cooper.

Do I need a referral to see a speech pathologist?

A GP referral is not required to access speech pathology, though referrals and reports can be helpful and may be needed for certain funding. Please call us to arrange an intake.

Is the first appointment with or without my child?

For children under 12, the intake session is parent only. For young people aged 12 and over, whether they attend the intake is at the parent's discretion.

What does speech pathology cost?

Intake is $240 privately and follow-up is $205 per hour privately. Where a formal assessment and report are required, the estimated cost is approximately $650. For NDIS-funded appointments, speech pathology is charged in line with the current NDIS price guide. Full details are on our fees and referrals page.

Can you help with feeding, swallowing or AAC?

Our speech pathology service is not able to take referrals where the primary need is feeding or swallowing, or augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). We recommend seeking a speech pathologist who specialises in that area, and your GP or paediatrician can help you find a suitable provider.

Do you accept NDIS funding?

Yes. We support children who fund speech pathology through the NDIS, as well as those who fund it privately. See our NDIS page for more information.

When should I be concerned about my child's speech or language?

Every child develops at their own pace, but it can help to speak with a speech pathologist, GP or paediatrician if your child is much slower to talk than other children their age, is hard to understand, is losing words or skills, or is frustrated by not being understood. An assessment can tell you whether support would help.

Can you help with stuttering?

Yes. We provide evidence-based support for children who stutter, working with the child and their family to build confident, comfortable communication.

Can you help with reading and spelling difficulties?

We support the spoken-language skills that underpin reading and spelling. Where a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia may be involved, our speech pathologists work alongside our psychology assessment team.