A Speech Pathologist (also known as a Speech Therapist) is a health professional with a four year University science degree specialising in communication and swallowing. A Speech Pathologist works with people of all ages, from infants to the very elderly, who have difficulty with any aspect of communication.

My two year old isn’t saying words yet. Is this a problem?

Yes. If your two year old is not making any sounds or using words to communicate then you should seek the help of a speech pathologist. By two years of age, most children will have a vocabulary of at least 50 words, and be starting to combine two words together (eg “Bye, mummy”, “no more”). [link to Ages and stages]

Other people find it difficult to understand my child should we get help?

Yes, if your child is not understood approximately 70% of the time by familiar people by the age of three years then you should seek help from a speech pathologist. A child needs to be intelligible (their speech understood) for a number of reasons. A child whose message is not understood will experience frustration, may stop attempts at communicating and suffer from a lack of opportunities to practice language and its functions especially in social situations with other children. [link to Ages and stages]

How much dribbling is normal for children?

Infants and toddlers are expected to drool or dribble at times, such as when teething. After two-year-old-molars (back teeth) erupt, persistent drooling should not continue. Drooling by older children is socially isolating and can often be associated with other oral difficulties. A Speech Pathologist can help with this.

When should my child stop using a dummy or a bottle?

As soon as possible! A dummy should be used as a pacifier and as an interim tool to help sooth babies until they are settled into their own routine. Bottles and dummies prevent toddlers from early talking attempts and speaking clearly. An infant who continues to use a dummy and a bottle into the toddler years may fail to develop the necessary strength and coordination of the mouth muscles needed for speech.

When should I start reading to my child?

Before it is born! Certainly from early infancy. Early exposure to reading and positive experiences with books can help to develop children’s language. Note that babies in the womb can hear your voice!

What should I read to my baby?

Simple, short, bright and colourful picture books. Anything that will engage your baby’s interest for even a short time is beneficial. As well, introduce lots of nursery rhymes and simple action or play songs, with or without books as early as possible.

My child has problems pronouncing some words. Will he grow out of it?

Possibly. There are errors that are considered age-appropriate. However if your child is having difficulty in being understood by others you may want to err on the side of caution and have a Speech Pathology assessment. A Speech Pathologist will be ahble to tell you if the errors are age-appropriate or if therapy is required. Your child may develop age-appropriate sounds, or he may continue to have problems with those sounds, practising an incorrect production for longer which may make it harder to correct.

My child has had frequent ear infections. Will this be affecting his speech?

If your child suffers from frequent middle ear infections, it is more than likely that some aspect of her language development will be affected, particularly if intermittent hearing loss occurs between six and twelve months of age. Intermittent hearing loss can result in a child developing language with a pattern of strengths and weaknesses, according to periods of functional hearing and periods of poor hearing. Hearing loss is known to affect articulation, vocabulary development, comprehension, auditory processing and literacy.

What is stuttering?

Sometimes called dysfluency, or stammering, it is a disorder of the rhythm of speech where sounds, syllables, or words can be repeated, or prolonged or blocked. Stuttering can develop in childhood and may persist into adulthood. Research suggests a strong genetic factor in stuttering, with mothers being more likely to pass on the stuttering gene to sons. There are therapy programs available for all age ranges.

My child stutters. Will he grow out of it?

A stutter may appear to resolve as a child grows older without therapy, however there is a strong likelihood that the stutter may return during puberty or adulthood. At this time therapy that could have eliminated the stuttering behaviour in childhood will no longer be effective. An older child or adult will need to learn a new way of speaking in order to eliminate the stutter, requiring constant practise and maintenance throughout life.

My child doesn’t talk much. Could he just be a late bloomer?

There is variation in the rate at which children learn to talk. However, if your child is not understood approximately 70% of the time by familiar people by the age of three years then you should seek help from a speech pathologist. Another general rule-of-thumb is that a two-year-old should be using at least 50 words, and combining two words together. If you wait for the difficulties to resolve as the child grows, your child may be missing out on therapy that will allow him to catch up to his peers and possibly miss important windows of opportunity for language developmental and remediation. [link to Ages and stages]

My child is at kindy. What skills should he have, as there seems to be a wide range of abilities in the group?

There is a wide range in the skill level of any group of children. There are, however, widely-accepted norms that identify the skills most children should have by a given age. Refer to the Ages and Stages page to see if your child has the skills generally accepted to be appropriate to his age. If you are concerned that he is not at the skill level expected for his age contact a Speech Pathologist for a thorough assessment.

I have a bright kid, so why is she having reading difficulties?

Bright, intelligent people can have specific difficulties with areas of information processing, language or literacy. A Speech Pathologist will be able to identify where a breakdown is occurring and offer treatment so that these people may realise their full potential.

What is dyslexia?

Difficulty with written language. It can occur for a wide range of reasons, a breakdown occurring at some point in the very complex process of literacy.

Can a child have a voice problem? I thought that was just for older people.

Yes. Anyone who abuses their voice (for example, by screaming or yelling or altering their voice to make funny noises or sound effects), for repeated or prolonged periods, and fails to use their voice efficiently, can develop a voice problem – including children. Children who lose their voice for any time at all, or who have a strained, breathy or hoarse voice should see a Speech Pathologist.