Does my child need Speech and Language Therapy?
There are a lot of reasons why a child might be referred for a Speech and Language assessment. These include:
1. Speech delays/disorders:
Speech refers to the sounds that are made in the process of speaking. Children may have difficulty with specific speech sounds (such as ‘s’, ‘r’, ‘l’) or may have patterns of errors (such ‘t’ in place of ‘c’/ ‘k’ and ‘d’ in place of ‘g’ – so ‘car’ sounds like “tar” and ‘gate’ sounds like “date”).
2. Dysfluency (Stuttering)
Fluency refers to continuity, smoothness, rate, and effort in speech production (ASHA.org). Dysfluency or stuttering often occurs when the flow of speech is interrupted by repeated syllables, words or phrases, prolongated sounds (e.g. sssss) or stopping (making no sound).
3. Language delays/disorders
Language refers to our ability to understand (receptive language) and respond (expressive language) to others. Difficulty with language may include a delay in starting to talk, problems with following instructions, understanding, or retaining vocabulary and problems using accurate grammar, correct word order or appropriate sentence structure.
4. Phonological Awareness
In the early school years, literacy in children focuses on ‘phonological awareness’, a skill that forms the basis of reading and spelling ability. Children with difficulty in this area may struggle with rhyming words, breaking words up into sounds (necessary for spelling) and blending sounds into words (necessary for reading). Strong phonological awareness skills are foundation to sound literacy development.
5. Social communication delays/disorders
Social communication, also known as pragmatic language, refers to the language we use in our daily interactions with others. Difficulties in this area can impact upon a child’s ability to make and maintain friendships and can also negatively impact upon personal relationships and self-confidence.
Do I need a referral from a GP?
In short, no. Discussing any concerns about your child with your GP is always a good idea as they may be able to point you in the right direction, however, you do not need a referral to access private Speech and Language Therapy support. It should be noted that you do need a referral letter from a GP in order to claim tax relief on SLT appointments.
Why do people choose private Speech and Language Therapy?
Waiting times for private speech and language therapy are typically shorter to public services.
What is the waiting time for an appointment?
Waiting times vary for appointments. When you first call to discuss your concerns, you will be given an indication of when your initial consultation and subsequent therapy sessions (if necessary) will be.
How often will my child attend therapy and for how long?
You will attend for an initial consultation/ assessment and a block of therapy, if appropriate, will be discussed at that point. Typically, children attend for a 6-week block of weekly, 45-minute therapy sessions. There is also a possibility of attending for a 12-week block of fortnightly sessions. A break is scheduled in after each block of therapy to allow for consolidation of skills.
How much does it cost?
We aim to be as transparent as possible when it comes to fees. Please see a full breakdown of fees here.
Can I claim assessment and therapy sessions from my health insurance?
If you have health insurance, you may be able to claim some of the cost of speech and language therapy and assessment sessions. Please contact your health insurance provider to discuss what options are available to you. Receipts are provided upon payment.
Can I claim tax relief?
You can avail of tax relief for speech and language therapy for children under the age of 18 or adults above the age of 18 who are in full-time education. To avail of this you will need a MED 1 FORM and all receipts provided. You will also need a medical letter of referral from your GP. You can find more information about this from the Revenue website or from the Citizen’s Information website.
Do you see adults?
Services are currently available for children from birth to 18 years.
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