Speech and Language Therapy
Help for School -Aged Children and Young People who Stammer
If you are the parent of school-aged child or teenager who stammers, you may be looking for speech and language therapy at this time as your child’s stammering has now continued for a number of years and it is having an impact on their day to day life.
They may be feeling worried, embarrassed or frustrated with their stammering, they may have started to avoid talking because of it or they may be keen to learn what they can do to help. We also know that a child’s stammering can have an impact on parents and you may even be more concerned about it than your child.
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Initial Contact
You are welcome to call me for an initial discussion free of charge, with no obligation to book an appointment. We can discuss your concerns and what you hope to gain from speech and language therapy and I can let you know what I offer and what I can do to help.
Assessment
Before we start any therapy, I carry out a thorough assessment to identify the best way forward. Assessment routinely takes place within your home, or can take place at your child’s nursery or school or another setting with prior arrangement
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My assessment involves two sessions:
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A direct assessment of your child: I will carry out an assessment of your child’s speech, language and communication to identify key areas of strength and need. This may involve play activities, structured observation of your child, talking with your child, as well as the use of standardised checklists and assessments. The assessment will enable me to establish how often your child is stammering, the type of stammering behaviours in their speech, along with their awareness of it and the impact it may be having on their day to day life. I will also compare their overall speech and language development in relation to children of the same age.
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A case history session: Parents or carers are central to the assessment as you know your child best and can therefore provide valuable information regarding your child and their stammer within the context of the family. As having a child who stammers can be very worrying for parents, the case history session also gives you the opportunity to share your worries and concerns.
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I may also need to liaise with your child's nursery or school as required.
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Following the assessment I will give you a clear explanation of my assessment findings which will help you to understand the factors which are relevant to your child’s stammer. We can then agree upon a package of therapy that meets your child’s individual needs. This may involve giving you advice and activities to carry out at home or I will recommend a block of therapy. There are lots of things we can do to help.
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I can also provide a full written report of your child’s assessment session. This will include the results of the assessment, a summary of your child’s strengths and areas for development and recommendations which may include referral to another professional.
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Please contact me for information regarding fees for assessment.
Therapy
I offer a range of specialist therapy approaches which will vary depending on the age of your child and the findings from my assessment. I work closely with parents and the child who stammers to establish what you want to achieve from therapy and to ensure that the therapy I offer is effective and tailored to you and your child’s individual needs. I also support you with your worries and concerns and ensure that you understand how best to support your child at home.
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Therapy can take place face to face or via Skype. The number of sessions each child needs varies. I typically start with a 6-8 week block of therapy. Sessions usually last 60 minutes. Once we have completed a block of therapy followed by a consolidation period, we will review your child’s progress together and then discuss the need for any further therapy.
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Please contact me for information regarding fees for therapy.
