Speech Therapy
Speech therapy is a form of intervention that evaluates and treats communication challenges. It is vital for children who have difficulties with their articulation, fluency, voice, literacy, receptive and expressive language skills.
Why Might My Child Need Speech Therapy?
Every child develops at their own pace, but Speech Pathology Australia identifies clear milestones that signal when professional support helps. If your child is 6 or more months behind in language skills, has trouble understanding instructions, or rarely uses gestures to communicate, speech therapy can make a real difference.
The key insight: speech and language difficulties don't typically resolve on their own, without support, children who fall behind tend to stay behind, and this gap widens as school and social demands increase. Research shows that untreated delays impact not just talking, but reading, writing, friendships, and confidence into adulthood. The good news is that early intervention works powerfully because young brains are incredibly adaptable; therapy delivered before age 6 is substantially more effective than waiting, and it's designed to work with your family's everyday routines, not against them. Rather than watching and waiting, speech pathologists partner with you to identify what your child needs, build skills step-by-step in their unique learning style, and coach you with practical strategies you can use at home, at mealtimes, and during play.
That's where the real difference happens and why early support gives your child the strongest foundation for lifelong communication success.
Paediatric Speech And Langauge Milestones
Your Child Not Hitting your Milestone?
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12 Months
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Understand about 10 words
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Respond to their name
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Recognise greetings and gestures like "hi" and "bye-bye"
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Say a few words and continue to babble
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Copy different sounds and noises
4 Years
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Speech becomes clearer
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More complex sentence structures emerge
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Developing rapidly in communication skills
18 Months
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Say more than 50 single words
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Put two words together (e.g., "bye teddy," "no ball")
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Use tone of voice to ask questions (e.g., "teddy go?")
5-6 Years
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Understand time words, rhyming, and letter sounds; tell simple stories with correct past/future tense; speech understood 95-100% of the time by anyone
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May still have mild errors with sounds like 'r', 'l' or 'th' (e.g., saying "wing" instead of "ring")
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Follow three-part instructions and understand similarities and opposites
2 Years
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Follow simple two-part instructions (e.g., "give me the ball and the car")
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Respond to simple "what" and "where" questions
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Half of their speech should be understood by family & friends
6-8 Years
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Start reading simple phonetic words and writing stories; understand complex concepts like non-literal meanings (e.g., "feeling blue")
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Use grammar with few errors and learn about prefixes, suffixes and root words
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Sustain conversations through several turns and problem-solve during communication breakdowns
3 Years
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Follow more complex two-part instructions
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Understand simple "what," "where," and "who" questions
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Understand concepts of "same" and "different"
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Talk about something in the past
8-10 Years
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Make clear, grammatically correct sentences; use complex grammar and develop reasoning skills (e.g., "why…? because…")
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No noticeable speech errors that impact intelligibility; understand language of probability (e.g., "definitely" vs. "probably")
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Take turns, listen and respond in two-way or group conversations; produce complete story grammar
Benefits of Speech Therapy
Clearer Communication and Better Intelligibility
Speech therapy helps children produce sounds correctly, so listeners understand them more easily. This immediate improvement builds confidence and reduces frustration in daily interactions.
Increased Social Confidence and Better Peer Relationships
Communication difficulties can lead to withdrawal and isolation. Speech therapy teaches children how to initiate conversations, interpret social cues, take turns, and engage in group settings, helping them build friendships and feel confident socially.​
Stronger Language and Vocabulary Skills
Research shows speech therapy can double the rate of vocabulary growth in early language delays, helping children catch up to their peers. Children develop stronger grammar, sentence structure, and narrative abilities
Prevents Long-Term Challenges
Early intervention is key. Research shows that intensive speech therapy in ages 3-4 has positive effects that endure in the medium term, preventing speech and language difficulties from becoming barriers later in school and life.