Here are some signs that your child may benefit from seeing a speech pathologist:

• Difficulty with pronunciation: If your child has difficulty pronouncing certain sounds or words, frequently substitutes one sound for another, or are often not understood by others, it may be a sign that they would benefit from speech therapy. 

• Limited vocabulary: If your child has difficulty understanding and using new words, it may be a sign that they need a speech pathologist. 

• Difficulty following directions: If your child has trouble following directions, it may be due to difficulty with language comprehension. A speech pathologist can help improve these skills. 

• Trouble with social communication: If your child has trouble with social communication, such as engaging in conversation, understanding nonverbal cues, and communicating effectively with peers, it may be a sign that they would benefit from speech therapy. 

• Delayed speech and language development: If your child is not meeting developmental milestones for speech and language, a speech pathologist can help. Milestones for children aged 1 to 5 years can be found on this poster developed by Speech Pathology Australia. 

No, a referral is not required. You can refer your child to Chatting Children Speech Pathology by completing an online form or contacting us directly. Some referrals may entitle you to Medicare rebates. Please refer to our Rebates & Funding page for more information. 

Our therapy sessions run for 45 minutes, plus 20 minutes for planning and clinical documentation. 

Sessions typically occur on a weekly or fortnightly basis. When deciding on the frequency of sessions, we will consider your child’s needs as well as what works best for your family’s schedule. 

Chatting Children Speech Pathology does not currently offer home visits. 

Chatting Children Speech Pathology may be able to offer visits to childcare centres, Kindergartens, or schools when the clinician’s timetable allows. Due to limited availability, it can be difficult to allocate additional time for travel. 

Visits to these locations also come with additional costs which are detailed in our schedule of fees (available on request). 

If you are unable to make a scheduled appointment for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible. Chatting Children Speech Pathology has a 48 hour notice cancellation policy. If less than 48 hours notice (excluding weekends and public holidays) is provided, 100% of the fee is payable. This cancellation policy is aligned with NDIS recommendations.