Speech Therapy
Finding a voice, and being understood
- Few or no words by around 18 months, or not combining words by around two years
- Speech that family members can follow but strangers cannot
Diagnosis and management of communication and hearing
Speech & Hearing Services
A speech and hearing specialist diagnoses, treats and manages communication disorders and hearing impairments across all age groups — establishing whether hearing is a contributing factor before communication difficulty is treated as a language problem alone.
- Session
- Assessment appointments run longer than therapy sessions
- Setting
- One-to-one
- Starts with
- Functional assessment
What it is
Understanding speech & hearing
A speech and hearing specialist focuses on diagnosing, treating and managing communication disorders and hearing impairments in individuals of all age groups. The discipline sits at the point where audiology and speech-language pathology meet.
Hearing is assessed first in any child with delayed or unclear speech, because it is one of the most common — and most correctable — contributing causes. Even mild or intermittent hearing loss during the years a child is acquiring language can hold speech back significantly.
Where hearing loss is identified, management covers amplification, listening strategies, and the auditory training that helps a child make use of the hearing they have. Where hearing is normal, the finding itself is valuable: it directs attention to the right target.
Speech & Hearing Specialists
Diagnose and manage hearing impairment and communication disorders, and establish whether hearing is a factor in speech delay.
Who it's for
Children who may benefit from speech & hearing
This is not an exhaustive list, and no single item on it means your child needs therapy. The assessment establishes what is actually going on.
- 01
Suspected hearing loss
Children who do not respond consistently to sound, speech or their own name.
- 02
Unexplained speech delay
Any child with delayed or unclear speech, where hearing needs to be ruled in or out first.
- 03
Recurrent ear infections
Repeated middle-ear problems that can cause fluctuating hearing loss during critical language years.
- 04
Hearing aid users
Ongoing management, listening development and auditory training alongside amplification.
- 05
Auditory processing concerns
Children who hear sound normally but struggle to make sense of speech, particularly in noise.
- 06
Voice disorders
Persistent hoarseness, vocal strain or unusual voice quality.
Signs to look for
What parents often notice first
Children develop at different rates, and a single item here is rarely meaningful on its own. It is a pattern across several — particularly one that persists — that is worth raising with a professional.
- Does not turn to sound or respond to their name
- Needs the television or music louder than others in the family
- Frequently asks for things to be repeated
- Struggles to follow conversation in a noisy room
- Speech is delayed or unclear with no other apparent cause
- History of repeated ear infections or ear discharge
- Watches faces intently, appearing to rely on lip movement
- Persistent hoarseness or a voice that sounds strained
Benefits
What this therapy works towards
Goals are always individual to the child. These are the areas of change the discipline is designed to produce.
A clear answer on hearing
Objective assessment that either identifies hearing loss or rules it out, so treatment targets the right thing.
Early detection
Hearing difficulty caught during the years language is being acquired, when it matters most.
Appropriate management
Referral, amplification and listening strategies matched to the type and degree of any loss.
Listening skills
Auditory training that helps a child use their hearing effectively, particularly in noise.
Integrated care
Hearing management coordinated directly with speech and language therapy rather than run in isolation.
Family guidance
Practical advice on communicating with a child who has hearing difficulty at home and at school.
The process
How a programme runs, step by step
- 01
Case history
Detailed history covering ear health, developmental milestones, family history and the specific concerns raised.
- 02
Hearing assessment
Age-appropriate hearing evaluation to establish the presence, type and degree of any hearing loss.
- 03
Speech and language evaluation
Assessment of how communication has been affected, and of any difficulty independent of hearing.
- 04
Diagnosis and explanation
Findings explained in plain terms, with onward referral where medical or audiological input is needed.
- 05
Management plan
A plan covering amplification where indicated, auditory training, communication strategies and speech-language therapy.
- 06
Follow-up
Monitoring of hearing over time — particularly important where loss fluctuates with ear infections.
What to expect
Inside a session
- Session length
- Assessment appointments run longer than therapy sessions
- Frequency
- Assessment first, then a plan set to findings
- Setting
- Quiet, controlled assessment environment
- Parent involvement
- Findings and next steps are discussed fully with parents
Questions
About speech & hearing
If your question isn't answered here, call the centre — it is usually the quickest way to get a straight answer.
Parent resources
Reading that may help
Related therapies
Often provided alongside this
Where a child works across more than one discipline, goals are coordinated between the therapists involved.
