Sydney Child Assessment - Speech Pathology Services
Sydney Child Assessment
At CPAC we work closely with speech pathologists who provide language and speech assessments and treatment for children and adults. Speech therapy is available on site, usually on Mondays and Wednesdays between 9am and 5pm.
Below you will find information about the various areas that speech pathologists can treat
BENEFIT OF SPEECH THERAPY
Research has shown that therapy makes a difference compared to no therapy or a wait and see approach. Systematic reviews of many randomly-controlled studies have shown the effectiveness of speech pathology and occupational therapy
services to children from one years of age (McLean & Cripe, 1997; Ziviani et al, 2010) compared to no treatment or a wait and see approach where children are monitored.
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)
Speech Language Pathologists and Occupational Therapists have a role in
behaviour (non-drug) treatment of attention deficit disorder as we can help train increasing attention and focus particularly on language and classroom instruction (Flora, 2007). We can help increase the child or adults concentration span using cognitive and operant behavioural therapy techniques. We can help determine if particular aspects of receptive or expressive language are affected and treat these. Once treated the child or adult is more able to interpret and understand what is said to them.
DYSLEXIA AND DYSGRAPHIA
Children and adults with dyslexia and dysgraphia have normal intelligence but difficulty reading and writing at a level expected of their intelligence. In addition recent research in the last twenty years has shown the importance of phonological coding and phonological awareness skills as utnderlying most reading, writing and spelling difficulties (Grigorenko, Elena , 2001).
Speech Language Pathologists use evidence based treatment to treat these underlying difficulties with subsequent transfer to reading accuracy and fluency and writing (Catts, 1991). Speech pathologists use the MULTI-LIT program which has been the subject of the most research and evidence in treating reading difficulties (Ellis, Wheldall, Beaman, 2007).
GIFTED CHILDREN AND AUTISM
Gifted children can have co-occurrring social communication and academic and concentration difficulties (Baum & Owen,1988). Speech pathologists specialise and are very effective in this group with specific programs targeting each individual gifted child's difficulties to help them perform at the level expected in the classroom and to feel happier and communicate well. Children with autism have specific therapy needs. The speech pathologists working with CPAC are government endorsed FACSIA funded suppliers for early intervention programs for this group as well as providing therapy for adolescents and older children with language and social communication difficulties in special classes and mainstream.
02 8068 8661
