FAQ

How do I make an appointment?

Jennifer offers an initial telephone/email consultation free of charge where you will have the opportunity to discuss your concerns.

What should I expect at initial assessment?

Jennifer will assess your child’s speech and/or language skills and will discuss the findings with you. Assessment will involve rapport building, play based activities and formal/informal assessment of your child’s skills.
 

What should I expect during a therapy session?

A therapy session generally involves 40 minutes of direct therapy with your child and 5 minutes for feedback and discussion. Parents are asked to participate in therapy sessions where possible.

Does my child require a speech sound assessment, a language assessment or both? 

• A speech sound assessment assesses your child’s clarity of speech only. This assessment will be carried out where the only concern is around clarity, and where there are no concerns about your child’s understanding or use of language.  A language assessment is not conducted as part of a speech assessment. However, if the therapist’s observations indicate that your child has difficulties in the area of language, a language assessment will be recommended accordingly.  Further assessment will not involve a new assessment fee but will be charged at the sessional rate.
• A language assessment assesses your child’s understanding and use of language.
• A full speech and language assessment assesses your child’s speech sound development and their understanding and use of language.

How long will my child be attending therapy?

Jennifer will give you an estimate of how long intervention may take, however this depends on many factors which Jennifer will discuss with you. Therapy is generally arranged in blocks of sessions with progress reviewed at the end of each block. Breaks from therapy are also recommended to consolidate new skills and to ensure your child stays motivated to learn further skills. 

What is Speech?

Speech is the process of producing sounds. Most children make mistakes as they learn to say new words. However, when these mistakes continue past a certain age, a speech assessment may be indicated. Speech difficulties may include problems with articulation (making sounds) and phonological processes (sound patterns).

• An articulation difficulty involves problems making certain sounds. Sounds can be substituted, left out, added or changed. 
• A phonological difficulty involves patterns of sound errors. An example of this would be substituting a sound made in the back of the mouth e.g. ‘k’ for a sound made in the front of the mouth e.g. ‘t’  (‘car’ becomes ‘tar’). 

What is Language?

• Receptive Language– This is what your child understands. If your child has difficulty in this area, they may have difficulty following directions, answering questions, identifying objects and pictures, understanding what gestures mean, or taking turns when others are talking.
• Expressive Language– This is how your child uses words and sentences to express needs, thoughts, and ideas. If your child has difficulty in this area, they may not be saying enough for their age. They may also have difficulty with grammar, vocabulary, asking questions, using gesture, or knowing how to start a conversation and keep it going.