The limits of my language means the limits of my world
Luddwig Wittgensen, Philosopher
How can I help my child?
If you have ever played sport or learnt a musical instrument you will know that simply turning up for the game or the class every week is not enough in itself, even if this has involved substantial juggling of all the other commitments in your busy life to be able to get there each time.
To be successful and to make progress, you also need to practise or train at least a few times in between each class or each game. Learning new speech, language or communication skills is just the same, attending therapy sessions faithfully once a week is not enough in itself to develop real and lasting change.
You can help your child learn quicker and more effectively by putting 15 minutes aside everyday to help them to practise the strategies and use the tools they are learning in the therapy sessions at home with the whole family.
Your Child Matters
How much will it cost?
Individual Therapy session £50.00
Discounted 6 session therapy block £240.00
For children who require ongoing regular therapy, a 20% discount is offered for families booking in for a therapy block of 6 sessions for their child. Payment is required at the time of booking to be able to access this discount.
Skype Therapy Sessions
Individual Skype Therapy Sessions can be arranged for families living outside of Orkney mainland.
Please discuss this option with Carole at your child's initial assessment session.
What does therapy involve?
Learning any new skill whatever your age or stage in life requires dedication, commitment, patience and lots and lots and lots of practice. Speech and Language Therapy is no different and requires substantial time commitment as well as financial commitment from every family.
You and your child will need to attend regular therapy sessions which may be weekly, fortnightly or monthly depending on the therapy programme your child is working through.
Children learn new skills best earlier in the day when their body and their mind is fresh and well rested. To ensure that your child is getting the most out of each therapy session possible, sessions need to be scheduled during this optimal time of learning which may involve taking your child out of school and needing to take time away from your own working day during the week.
How long will my child need therapy?
This is the question which no Speech and Language Therapist can really answer. Every child is unique and learns new skills in their own way and at their own pace. What takes one child a few months to learn may take another child a full year.
What is known is that you can help your child learn quicker and more effectively by putting time aside everyday to help them to practise the strategies and use the tools they are learning with the whole family.
Therapy Matters
How much will it cost?
Initial assessment session £125.00
This includes a brief written summary report which will be sent out to you a week or so after your child’s initial assessment session. For nursery or school age children additional copies of the summary report will be provided free of charge for your child’s teacher and any other professionals who may be working alongside your child.
The initial assessment session can last up to 2 hours so it is important that you do not have any pressing commitments immediately after the session so that you have time to talk through your child’s pattern of speech and language development fully with the therapist and have also given yourself and your child some downtime after the session before you move on to the rest of a busy day.
Why does my child need an initial assessment?
Just as any specialist will ask questions or carry out further tests or assessment to work out what is going on, Carole needs to take an in -depth look at your child’s current speech, language and communication skills to work out which areas may or may not be developing as they should and to use this information to establish the best way forward.
Your child will need to be booked in for an initial assessment even if they have had therapy in the past. If you went to a new doctor you would expect them to assess your needs thoroughly rather than just read your file or go on what the previous doctor did. Speech and Language Therapists are no exception and it is a professional requirement that all therapists assess the children in their care.
What will happen at the initial assessment?
Children all learn to talk at different rates and some children naturally develop more quickly than others. Within this natural variation there are typical ages when children are expected to have developed certain skills and typical patterns of speech and language development which Carole will be looking for during your child’s initial assessment.
Carole will work through a variety of evidence-based assessments with your child to establish their understanding and use of language, their use of speech sounds to make words, the number and kinds of words that they are using and how these words are combined to make sentences.
Afterwards Carole will discuss your child’s particular pattern of speech and language development with you and what this means for your child’s overall communication development.
Carole will also talk through your concerns and discuss the therapy options available and the costs involved if your child’s pattern of speech and language development has indicated that they would benefit from Speech and Language Therapy.
Assessment Matters
