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What We Treat

Every child communicates differently. Some struggle with producing sounds clearly. Others find it hard to understand what's said to them. Many have difficulty expressing their thoughts or connecting with peers. Whatever your child's communication challenge, we're here to help.
 

At Speak Wonders, we specialise in assessing and supporting a wide range of paediatric speech and language needs. Using evidence-based, neurodiversity-affirming approaches aligned with Speech Pathology Australia standards, we work with families to help children communicate with confidence.

Speech Sound Disorders

What Are Speech Sound Disorders?

Speech sound disorders are the most common reason children seek speech pathology support. If your child is hard to understand, substitutes sounds (saying "wabbit" instead of "rabbit"), or has difficulty producing certain sounds, they may have a speech sound disorder.

Speech sound disorders fall into two main categories:

Articulation Disorders – Difficulty producing individual sounds correctly. Your child might consistently substitute or distort specific sounds.

Phonological Disorders – Patterns of sound errors. For example, leaving off end sounds in all words, or replacing all back-of-mouth sounds with front sounds.

What Does It Look Like?

  • Difficulty producing sounds like "r," "s," "th," "l," or "ch"

  • Unclear or hard-to-understand speech

  • Inconsistent sound production (sometimes correct, sometimes incorrect)

  • Speech that's hard to understand by strangers or even family

  • Frustration or embarrassment about being misunderstood

  • Social avoidance due to communication difficulty

Why It Matters

Research shows that untreated speech sound disorders can impact academic performance, social relationships, and self-esteem. Children who are hard to understand often feel frustrated and may withdraw from social situations or school participation.

Good news: Speech sound disorders respond really well to therapy. With targeted intervention, most children achieve age-appropriate speech clarity.

How We Help

Our speech pathologists use evidence-based techniques including:

  • Sound production exercises – Teaching correct placement and production of sounds

  • Minimal pairs therapy – Using words that differ by one sound to teach sound patterns

  • Conversation practice – Practicing sounds in natural speech and conversation

  • Parent coaching – Teaching you strategies to reinforce learning at home

  • Progress monitoring – Regular assessment of improvement toward clear speech

Expected Outcome: Most children show measurable improvement in speech clarity within 12-16 weeks of regular therapy.

Start of the school year
Toddler Playing Drums

Language Disorders and Delay

What Are Language Disorders and Delays?

Language disorder and delay are different, but both affect how children communicate:

Language Delay – Your child's language development is slower than expected for their age. They understand less, use fewer words, or form simpler sentences than peers. Many children with delay catch up with support.

Language Disorder – Your child's language abilities are significantly below age expectations and may persist without intervention. They have difficulty understanding (receptive language) or using words and sentences (expressive language), or both.

What Does It Look Like?

Receptive Language Difficulties (Understanding):

  • Trouble following directions or instructions

  • Difficulty understanding stories or questions

  • Trouble learning new vocabulary

  • Confusion with "who," "what," "when," "where" questions

Expressive Language Difficulties (Using Words):

  • Limited vocabulary compared to peers

  • Difficulty forming sentences ("Me go park" instead of "I'm going to the park")

  • Trouble telling stories or explaining things

  • Using placeholder words like "um" or "thing"

  • Difficulty asking questions

Mixed Difficulties:

  • Some children have both receptive and expressive challenges

Why It Matters

Language is foundational for everything; literacy, academic learning, social relationships, and confidence. Children with language difficulties are at higher risk for reading problems, academic struggles, and social challenges.

The good news: Early intervention is highly effective. Children who receive language support typically catch up to peers and succeed in school.

How We Help

Our language intervention includes:

  • Vocabulary building – Teaching new words in meaningful contexts

  • Sentence formation – Practicing simple to complex sentence structures

  • Comprehension strategies – Teaching how to understand language better

  • Story telling – Building narrative skills for school success

  • Listening activities – Improving auditory processing and understanding

  • Parent coaching – Showing you how to build language throughout daily routines

  • School collaboration – Working with teachers to support literacy and learning

Expected Outcome: Children typically develop stronger language skills within 12-24 weeks, with improved understanding, vocabulary, and sentence use.

Fluency Disorders (Stuttering)

What Is Stuttering?

Stuttering (also called stammering) is a fluency disorder where speech doesn't flow smoothly. Your child may repeat sounds, syllables, or words, have prolongations (stretching sounds), or blocks (getting stuck on words).

Stuttering is common in young children (ages 2-5) as language develops, but if it persists or causes anxiety, intervention helps.

What Does It Look Like?

  • Repetitions: "I-I-I want juice" or "L-l-look at the dog"

  • Prolongations: "Ssssometimes we go out"

  • Blocks: Getting stuck before a word comes out

  • Tension in face or body when speaking

  • Avoidance of speaking or specific words

  • Frustration or embarrassment

  • Anxiety about speaking in front of others

Why It Matters

While many children who stutter naturally outgrow it, some don't. Early intervention dramatically improves outcomes. Research shows that children treated early for stuttering are much more likely to develop fluent speech.

Without support, stuttering can lead to anxiety, social withdrawal, and reduced participation in school.

How We Help

Our fluency intervention includes:

  • Early Stuttering Management – Using the Lidcombe Program for young children (highly effective, parent-coached approach)

  • Fluency strategies – Teaching techniques for smoother speech

  • Rate and rhythm work – Helping your child speak at a pace that's easier

  • Confidence building – Reducing anxiety and increasing willingness to speak

  • Parent coaching – Teaching you how to support fluency at home

  • School consultation – Helping teachers support your child's fluency in classroom

Expected Outcome: Early intervention (ages 2-5) is highly successful, with many children achieving fluent speech within 12-16 weeks.

Children Using Tablets

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Communication Difficulties

What Are ASD Communication Challenges?

Many autistic children have communication difficulties alongside other autism characteristics. Speech pathology supports the communication aspects of autism, helping children express themselves, understand others, and navigate social communication.

What Does It Look Like?

  • Limited speech or selective mutism (not speaking in certain settings)

  • Difficulty understanding others' speech

  • Difficulty using gestures or facial expressions

  • Unusual speech patterns (very formal, robotic, or echolalic—repeating words)

  • Difficulty with social turn-taking in conversation

  • Trouble understanding jokes, sarcasm, or social rules

  • Focused interests with repetitive speech about those interests

  • Difficulty reading social cues or understanding others' emotions

  • Sound sensitivities or unusual responses to noise

Why It Matters

Communication is foundational for social relationships, learning, and independence. Speech pathology support helps autistic children express themselves, be understood, and participate more fully in school, family, and community.

How We Help – Neurodiversity-Affirming Approach

We believe autism is a difference, not a deficit. Our support celebrates your child's unique communication style while building skills they want to develop:

  • Speech sound support – If your child wants clearer speech

  • Language development – Building vocabulary and sentence skills

  • Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) – Using visual supports, communication boards, or apps to support expression

  • Social communication coaching – Teaching conversation skills, social rules, and understanding others

  • Sensory-friendly strategies – Adapting to your child's sensory profile

  • Parent coaching – Showing you how to support communication in natural ways

  • School collaboration – Working with teachers to support classroom communication

Our Approach: Therapy feels like interaction and play, not a "fixing" session. We meet your child where they are and work on goals that matter to your family.

Expected Outcome: Improved communication confidence, clearer expression, better peer interactions, and greater independence.

​Pragmatic & Social Communication Difficulties

What Is Pragmatic Language?

Pragmatic language is the "social" side of communication, understanding unwritten rules, taking turns, interpreting social cues, and knowing what to say in different situations.

Children with pragmatic language difficulties struggle with:

  • Understanding social rules

  • Taking turns in conversation

  • Recognising when others are bored or upset

  • Understanding jokes, sarcasm, or figurative language

  • Knowing what information to share and when

  • Reading facial expressions and body language

What Does It Look Like?

  • Interrupts frequently or doesn't take conversational turns

  • Talks too much about their interests without noticing others aren't interested

  • Difficulty making or keeping friends

  • Misses social cues (doesn't notice when someone is upset)

  • Trouble understanding jokes or sarcasm ("Why did you say that? That's not actually true!")

  • Says inappropriate things without realising it

  • Difficulty with eye contact or body language

  • Struggles in group settings or with peer interaction

  • Anxiety in social situations

  • Difficulty understanding what others mean (takes language literally)

Why It Matters

Social communication is crucial for friendships, school success, and belonging. Children with pragmatic difficulties often feel socially isolated and anxious, even if they have good vocabulary and grammar.

How We Help

Our pragmatic language intervention includes:

  • Social stories – Teaching about social situations and expectations

  • Role-play & practice – Practicing conversation skills and social scenarios

  • Turn-taking activities – Learning to listen and respond appropriately

  • Understanding emotions – Teaching recognition of feelings in self and others

  • Conversation coaching – Explicit teaching of conversation rules

  • Peer interaction support – Building friendships and social confidence

  • Naturalistic teaching – Learning during real interactions and play

  • Parent & teacher coaching – Helping adults support social communication across settings

Expected Outcome: Improved friendships, greater social confidence, better peer relationships, and reduced social anxiety.

Kid Using Tablet
Kids Using Tablet

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

What Is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), also called dyspraxia, is a motor speech disorder. Your child knows what they want to say but has difficulty planning and coordinating the mouth movements needed to say it.

CAS is different from other speech disorders because it involves motor planning difficulty, not just sound production errors.

What Does It Look Like?

  • Inconsistent speech errors (saying the same word correctly one time and incorrectly another)

  • Difficulty with longer or more complex words

  • Better vowel production than consonant production

  • Unusual prosody (rhythm and intonation of speech)

  • "Groping" – visible struggle to find mouth position for sounds

  • Difficulty imitating sounds or words

  • Poor intelligibility that doesn't improve quickly

  • Better receptive language (understanding) than expressive speech

  • Frustration with communication difficulty

  • Possible associated difficulties with motor coordination

Why It Matters

CAS requires specific, intensive intervention. Early identification and targeted therapy are crucial. Without appropriate support, CAS can significantly impact speech development and social participation.

How We Help

CAS requires specialised, intensive intervention:

  • Motor planning exercises – Repetitive practice of sound sequences

  • Cueing strategies – Using visual, auditory, and tactile cues to help motor planning

  • Intensive practice – Regular, targeted repetition of words and phrases

  • Multi-sensory approach – Using sight, sound, and touch to support learning

  • Lexical approach – Building complete words rather than individual sounds

  • Parent coaching – Teaching intensive strategies for home practice

  • Progress monitoring – Regular assessment of motor planning improvement

Expected Outcome: With early, intensive intervention, children with CAS can develop intelligible speech and age-appropriate language skills.

Do You Think Your Child Has One of These Challenges?

Our comprehensive evaluations identify exactly what's happening and guide the right support.

Still Unsure If Your Child Needs Support?

If you're wondering whether your child's communication is typical or needs support, an assessment provides clarity or give us a call where we can discuss your concerns. 

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