How a speech pathologist can support your child

Every child develops at their own pace and sometimes our children will need extra support from a health professional. At first, seeking help can feel overwhelming – not knowing where to start and how to best prepare your child to get the most out of their visits. This episode takes a deep dive into the role of a speech pathologist, a health care profession that is often involved in supporting children with their development.  

Speech pathology goes far beyond helping children pronounce tricky sounds or building their vocabulary. In this episode, host Nadia Rossi speaks with Sally Venus, a paediatric speech pathologist with over 25 years’ experience, to unpack what a speech pathologist does and how they play a vital part in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. 

In this episode you will learn:

• About the role of a speech pathologist [00:1:53]. 
•  The signs parents can look out for that their child may need the support of a speech pathologist and how to then access these specialists [00:4:11]. 
• How to prepare for and what you can expect from your first session with a speech pathologist [0010:16].
•  Ways you can support your child at home in their speech, swallowing or any kind of communication [00:14:38]. 

Further information and resources:  
 

What is a speech pathologist? (video)  

Speech pathology Australia – Speech sound development 0–3 years  

Speech pathology Australia – Communication milestones 

Speech pathology Australia – What to expect from my first session