Children

The practice charges medical aid rates, as prescribed by the Board of Healthcare Funders (BHF) of Southern Africa. Different medical aids pay different rates, and therefore rates differ, depending on your specific medical scheme. Please refer to the document below regarding the practice rates for all aspects that could relate to your speech therapy sessions. See pricing here

A speech-language assessment is a thorough process that helps identify your child’s strengths and areas needing support in communication. We conduct these assessments to understand how your child communicates and pinpoint any challenges they may face.

The process typically begins with an initial consultation where the speech therapist gathers background information, such as the child’s developmental and educational history, family history of speech or language problems, and any prior evaluations or therapies.

Next, the speech therapist may use various tests to assess different aspects of the child’s speech and language development, including receptive and expressive language, articulation, fluency, and social communication skills. Cognitive communication abilities, such as memory and attention, may also be informally assessed, particularly if there are concerns about conditions like ADHD. Informal observations are also part of the assessment process, where the speech therapist observes your child in natural settings like playtime or interactions with others to see how they communicate in everyday situations. Social communication skills, including interpreting non-verbal cues and taking turns in conversation, are also assessed.

After gathering all the data, the speech therapist will analyse the results and provide a diagnosis if needed, such as developmental speech delay or language disorder. Based on the findings, your therapist will offer recommendations, which may include speech therapy, referrals to other specialists, or strategies to implement at home or school.

Overall, the assessment offers a comprehensive understanding of your child’s communication abilities, helping to create a tailored therapeutic plan to support their development.

Any reports from doctors/ therapists, a copy of your ID and medical aid card. If there is any other information that you feel is relevant to your child’s development or that the speech therapist should know, please bring that along too.

Yes, we encourage parents to attend and observe the assessment session. It allows your child some comfort and support in a new environment, allows you as parent(s) to understand the process and makes you accessible for the speech therapist if she needs you to answer any follow-up questions regarding your child’s development.

Therapy sessions for your child will be personalized to address their specific needs, considering their age and communication challenges, with the goal of enhancing their speech, language and overall communication skills in a fun and supportive environment.

Early sessions focus on building rapport and helping your child feel comfortable through engaging activities like games or storytelling. Your speech therapist will also continuously  assess and monitor your child’s skills, particularly in areas like articulation (speech production), speech fluency, language comprehension (understanding language), expressive language (using language to communicate) and social communication. Each session typically begins with a warm-up activity to help your child focus, followed by targeted activities to address specific goals identified in the assessment. Therapy often involves interactive play, using games, toys, and books to promote language development, such as practicing vocabulary within different themes using toys, playing turn-taking games, or storytelling exercises to improve narrative skills.

Parents are encouraged to be involved by learning techniques to reinforce the targeted skills at home and practicing activities together. Sessions usually last about 30 minutes and are scheduled weekly, with the speech therapist adjusting goals and activities as your child progresses. Throughout the process, the therapist ensures that therapy remains enjoyable and motivating, incorporating positive reinforcement to keep your child engaged and making progress. Ultimately, the therapy experience is dynamic, structured, and fun, designed to improve your child’s communication skills in a supportive way.

Yes, we encourage parents to attend therapy sessions with their child as it provides them with an understanding of the process and how to support their child at home.

The number of speech therapy sessions your child will need depends on several factors, including the nature and severity of their speech, language or general communication challenges, their age, how quickly they progress, and their specific therapy goals. Another important factor is parent involvement and completion of therapy-related homework activities.

The exact number of speech therapy sessions your child will need varies, but most children will begin to see improvements after several months of consistent therapy. Your child’s speech therapist will work with you to determine the appropriate number of sessions, starting with more frequent visits and gradually tapering off as progress is made. It’s important to stay in communication with your speec therapist and adjust the frequency as needed, ensuring the therapy is always aligned with your child’s evolving needs and goals.

No child is too young for speech therapy. Even children as young as 12 months to 2 years old can benefit from speech therapy if there are signs of developmental speech or language delays. Early intervention (i.e. starting therapy as early as possible) is especially valuable, as it allows for addressing communication issues before they become more difficult to manage as the child grows older.

For younger children, speech therapy typically focuses on play-based activities, such as interactive games, toys, and picture books, to encourage communication. Parents are often involved, with the speech therapist providing strategies to reinforce what was learned in therapy at home.

The early years are crucial for language development, and therapy can your child develop key skills like listening, vocabulary, and the ability to use sentence structures. Additionally, addressing speech delays early can prevent future academic struggles, particularly when the child starts learning to read and write. It can also boost their confidence and social skills by improving communication with peers and adults.

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development, do not hesitate to contact us, as early assessment and intervention can be highly beneficial. The sooner issues are addressed, the more effective the support will be for your child’s development.

If you’re concerned about your child’s speech and language development, it’s helpful to consult with a speech therapist. There are several signs that may suggest your child could benefit from speech therapy, even at a young age. For instance, if your child is not using any words by 18 months or struggles to understand simple commands (like “Wave bye-bye.” or “Where is your ear?”), it may signal a developmental delay. By age 2, children should use at least 50 words and begin combining two words into phrases, and if they are not doing so, therapy could be beneficial. Other signs include a limited vocabulary or difficulty expressing themselves. If your child struggles to follow simple instructions, like “Come here.” or “Pick up the toy.” it could indicate challenges in understanding language.

Additionally, speech sound issues such as unclear speech production or difficulty pronouncing words by age 3 may point to an articulation or phonological problem. If your child often omits sounds or syllables, like saying “ca” instead of “cat“, targeted speech therapy can help.

Limited social interaction, such as not making eye contact, using gestures to communicate, or not engaging in pretend games, may suggest social communication difficulties, which speech therapy can also address.

Stuttering or any disfluencies in speech production that persist beyond the early years could also benefit from speech therapy.

Finally, if your child has lost previously learned speech or language skills, it’s important to consult a speech therapist right away.

For more information about what speech, language and communication milestones is expected at your child’s age, please refer to the information provided in our developmental milestones section.

Your child is never too old for speech therapy! Speech therapy can be beneficial for children at any age, and it is never too late to address speech, language or general communication challenges.

While early intervention can make it easier to tackle issues, children can still make significant progress with the right support at any stage. As children get older, their communication skills become more complex, and therapy can help them develop the necessary abilities for academic success, social interactions, and overall confidence. If a school-aged child struggles with reading, writing, or following instructions due to a developmental language delay or a language disorder, speech therapy can help them keep up academically.

Adolescents can also benefit from speech therapy to improve skills like public speaking, conversations, and social communication. Therapy can also address issues such as speech sound disorders, articulation problems, stuttering, and difficulties with receptive or expressive language. Additionally, older children and teens can improve their social communication skills, such as understanding non-verbal cues or interpreting sarcasm. If your child has difficulty with reading comprehension or writing, speech therapy can assist with literacy skills as well.

The duration of therapy depends on the nature of the problem and the child’s response to treatment, with some children showing improvement in a few months and others a needing a longer period of intervention. No matter your child’s age, speech therapy can help them thrive, so it is worth considering an assessment with a speech therapist to explore how therapy can support your child’s development.