Speech therapy

Our speech and language therapists help children and adults communicate and swallow. They assess, diagnose and treat difficulties that follow a stroke, a developmental delay or a diagnosis such as head and neck cancer. They often work as part of a wider care team, alongside the doctors and therapists involved in your care. Care ranges from supporting infant feeding and breastfeeding, and helping children develop their first words, to helping people of all ages regain speech and swallow safely after illness or injury.

What is speech therapy?

Speech therapy, also called speech and language therapy, supports how you communicate and how you eat, drink and swallow. Speech and language therapists are allied-health professionals. They work with children facing feeding or speech difficulties, and with adults whose communication changes after a stroke, a brain injury or a condition such as Parkinson's. The same team assesses and treats swallowing difficulties, known as dysphagia, which can make eating and drinking uncomfortable or unsafe.

When should you see a speech and language therapist?

Book an appointment if you notice:

• A child's speech or language is slow to develop
• Stammering that is not settling
• Slurred speech or trouble finding words after a stroke or head injury
• A hoarse or strained voice that lasts more than a few weeks
• Difficulty in swallowing, coughing, choking or discomfort while eating or drinking
• Feeding difficulties or extremely selective eating
• Tongue tie/lip ties concerns
• Changes in voice quality
• Progressive communication changes due to neurological conditions

Sudden slurred speech, a drooping face or weakness in one arm can be signs of a stroke: call for emergency help straight away.

You don't always need to wait for a problem to worsen. Early therapy helps a child who is falling behind peers, and adults living with a long-term condition such as Parkinson's or dementia often benefit from support before communication or swallowing declines. Your doctor can advise whether a referral is right for you.

What to expect

Your first appointment begins with a conversation about your concerns, your history and how the difficulty affects daily life. The therapist then assesses how you speak, understand language, use your voice or manage food and drink, depending on the reason for your visit. For a swallowing concern, this can include an instrumental assessment that watches the swallow more closely.

Therapy is usually a series of sessions, with exercises and strategies you practise between visits. For a child, this often looks like play-based activities; for an adult after a stroke, it may focus on regaining words or making swallowing safer. For a swallowing difficulty, this can mean advice on how food and drink are prepared, or changes to posture and technique that make eating and drinking safer. Your therapist sets goals with you, involves your family where it helps, and explains each step so you know what's coming next.

Speech therapy at Mediclinic

Our speech and language therapists care for infants, children and adults, from newborns through to older adults. They support early feeding and communication needs, including for babies who require neonatal care, and provide assessment and treatment for speech, language, swallowing and voice difficulties.

Our therapists also work closely with other specialists and rehabilitation teams to help people regain communication and safe swallowing after a stroke, brain injury or other illness. Families are involved in the treatment plan so that support can continue at home.