NDIS Speech Therapy for Children: When Might Your Child Benefit?

Every child communicates differently and develops communication skills at their own pace. However, some children may need additional support to communicate effectively, understand language, participate in everyday activities or develop their speech and literacy skills.

For children with NDIS funding, Speech Pathology may form part of their supports when communication difficulties are related to their individual needs and goals.

Understanding the different areas a Speech Pathologist can support can help parents decide whether it may be worth discussing their child's communication development with a professional.

What Does a Speech Pathologist Help Children With?

Speech Pathologists support communication across a much broader range of areas than speech sounds alone.

Depending on the individual child, therapy may address speech, receptive and expressive language, literacy, fluency, social communication or functional communication.

The purpose of therapy isn't simply to perform well during a Speech Pathology session. The skills being developed should help the child communicate and participate more effectively in everyday life.

Grow & Tell provides NDIS Speech Therapy in Sydney for children and young people, with therapy based on each child's individual strengths, communication needs and goals.

Signs Your Child May Benefit From Speech Therapy

There isn't one single sign that tells parents their child needs Speech Pathology.

Some communication differences are relatively easy to notice, while others become more apparent as the language and social demands placed on a child increase.

The following are some areas where parents may consider seeking further advice.

Your Child Is Difficult to Understand

Children gradually develop the ability to produce different speech sounds as they grow.

Some children, however, may have ongoing difficulty producing certain sounds or may be difficult for family members, teachers, peers or unfamiliar people to understand.

You might notice your child substituting one sound for another, leaving sounds out of words or becoming frustrated when people don't understand what they are saying.

A Speech Pathologist can investigate your child's speech sound development and determine whether further assessment or therapy may be appropriate.

Where more information is required, a Speech Pathology assessment can help identify the nature of your child's speech difficulties and guide recommendations.

Your Child Has Difficulty Understanding Language

Receptive language is our ability to understand spoken language.

A child experiencing receptive language difficulties may have trouble following instructions, understanding questions, learning new vocabulary or understanding increasingly complex sentences.

For example, a child may manage a simple instruction such as "get your shoes" but have difficulty when several pieces of information are included in the same instruction.

These difficulties can become particularly noticeable at preschool or school, where children are expected to understand instructions and information within busy environments.

Speech Pathology can support children to develop language comprehension skills and strategies that help them participate more effectively in everyday activities.

Your Child Has Difficulty Expressing Their Ideas

Expressive language refers to how children use words and sentences to communicate their thoughts, needs and ideas.

Some children may use fewer words than expected, have difficulty constructing sentences or struggle to organise their thoughts when telling a story or explaining something that happened.

Older children may have difficulty finding the right words, explaining complex ideas or producing the increasingly sophisticated language required at school.

A Speech Pathologist can assess these skills and develop therapy around the child's individual communication needs.

Your Child Is Experiencing Stuttering

Stuttering can involve repetitions of sounds, syllables or words, prolonging sounds or periods where the child appears unable to begin or continue speaking.

The way stuttering presents can vary considerably between children and may also change over time.

If you're concerned about your child's fluency, a Speech Pathologist can assess their speech and discuss whether intervention is recommended.

Parents can also learn more about stuttering treatment for children and when it may be appropriate to seek professional advice.

Your Child Is Having Difficulty With Reading or Spelling

Speech Pathologists can also support aspects of literacy development.

Spoken and written language are closely connected, and some children with language or speech difficulties may also experience challenges when learning to read and spell.

Therapy may address areas such as phonological awareness, understanding how sounds relate to words, vocabulary, reading or spelling, depending on the child's individual needs.

If literacy is becoming difficult at school, a Speech Pathologist may be one of the professionals involved in understanding the underlying skills contributing to those difficulties.

Your Child Communicates Differently in Social Situations

Social communication involves how we use and understand communication when interacting with other people.

Some children may benefit from support participating in conversations, communicating their needs, interpreting information within different situations or navigating interactions with peers.

The goal shouldn't be to force a child to communicate in one particular way.

Instead, therapy can support functional communication and help children develop skills relevant to their individual needs, preferences and everyday environments.

Your Child Needs Another Way to Communicate

Some children may communicate using methods other than, or in addition to, spoken language.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication can include communication boards, pictures, symbols, signs and speech-generating devices.

AAC doesn't require a child to stop using speech. It can provide another way for them to communicate and may be used alongside spoken language.

A Speech Pathologist can help families explore appropriate communication options and support the child and the people around them in using these systems effectively.

You can read more about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and how it can support children's communication.

Communication Difficulties Are Affecting Everyday Activities

One of the most important things to consider is how communication is affecting your child's everyday life.

Communication skills are used throughout the day: asking for help, participating in class, talking with family, playing with other children, following routines and expressing thoughts, feelings and preferences.

A child doesn't necessarily need to experience difficulties across every area of communication to benefit from support.

Sometimes a particular communication difficulty can have a significant impact on participation in one important area of the child's life.

This is why Speech Pathology goals should be individualised rather than based only on a child's age or diagnosis.

Does My Child Need an Assessment Before Starting Therapy?

Whether an assessment is required will depend on the child and the information already available.

Some children may have recent reports or previous assessments that provide sufficient information to begin planning therapy. Others may benefit from additional assessment to better understand their communication profile.

Grow & Tell offers paediatric Speech Pathology assessments for areas including speech, language, literacy, fluency and other communication needs.

The Speech Pathologist can discuss which assessment, if any, is appropriate rather than automatically using the same assessment for every child.

What Might NDIS Speech Therapy Look Like?

Therapy should look different for different children.

For younger children, therapy may involve play-based activities and parent coaching. For school-aged children, sessions might incorporate games, structured activities, literacy tasks or communication activities related to situations they experience at school and home.

The Speech Pathologist may also provide strategies that parents, carers or educators can incorporate into everyday routines.

Where appropriate and with family consent, collaboration with teachers and other professionals can help support the child's communication across different environments.

Where Can Children Receive Speech Therapy?

Speech Pathology may be delivered in several different settings depending on the child's needs and the services available.

Grow & Tell provides clinic-based Speech Pathology from Rhodes and St Leonards/Crows Nest, as well as mobile Speech Therapy at homes, schools and early learning settings across selected areas of Sydney.

Telehealth may also be appropriate for some children, families and types of Speech Pathology support.

The most appropriate option depends on factors including the child's therapy goals, age, communication needs and family circumstances.

When Should Parents Speak to a Speech Pathologist?

You don't need to know exactly what is causing your child's communication difficulty before speaking with a Speech Pathologist.

If you're noticing that speech, language, literacy, fluency or communication difficulties are affecting your child's ability to communicate or participate in everyday activities, seeking professional advice can help you understand what is happening and whether further assessment or support may be useful.

Parents, carers and educators often provide valuable information because they see how the child communicates across different situations.

Starting NDIS Speech Therapy

For children with NDIS funding, the appropriate Speech Pathology supports will depend on their individual needs, NDIS goals, plan and funding arrangements.

Grow & Tell provides paediatric NDIS Speech Pathology in Sydney for self-managed and plan-managed participants.

Our Speech Pathologists work with families to understand each child's strengths, communication needs and everyday priorities before developing individualised therapy goals.

If you have concerns about your child's communication or would like to discuss whether Speech Pathology may be appropriate, you can contact Grow & Tell to discuss current appointment options.

A Note About NDIS Funding

Every NDIS participant's circumstances and plan are different. Whether a particular Speech Pathology service can be funded will depend on the participant's individual plan, approved supports and circumstances.

Families should refer to their current NDIS plan and seek clarification from their plan manager, support coordinator or the NDIA where required.