Our Services

Pre-language skills refer to the non-speaking forms of communication that babies and children use before they begin speaking in words. These skills include gestures (like pointing or waving), facial expressions (such as smiling or frowning), vocalisations (like cooing and babbling), joint attention (where you and your child are both focused on the same object/event at the same time) and imitation skills (being able to copy your actions).

Pre-language skills allow children to express their needs, emotions, and desires to caregivers and engage with the world around them if they have not yet developed the ability to use spoken language.

Pre-language communication is an important step in a child's language development, and it sets the foundation for later language and speech skills.

Play skills refer to a child's ability to engage in and interact through play with toys, objects, and other children. Play is not just fun; it's a crucial way for children to learn and develop social, communication, and problem-solving skills.

#allplayisokay

Speech refers to the way your child physically produces speech sounds. It involves coordinating the movements of their lips, tongue, teeth, palate (i.e., roof of their mouth), and vocal cords to create clear and understandable speech.

If a child has speech difficulties, they may have trouble pronouncing certain sounds or words correctly. For example, your child might say "dat" instead of "cat" or "fower" instead of "flower". This can make it challenging for your child to be understood by others. Speech therapy helps children practice and improve the way they pronounce these sounds, ensuring their speech is clear and easy to understand.

Speech Pathologists specialise in supporting children to develop their receptive and expressive language skills.

What is Receptive Language?
This refers to a child's ability to understand and comprehend language. It involves how well a child can listen and understand what others are saying to them. For example, when you ask your child to point to a toy or follow a simple instruction like "give me the ball," their ability to do so demonstrates their receptive language skills.

What is Expressive Language?
Expressive language, on the other hand, is about a child's ability to express themselves and convey their thoughts, needs, and feelings using words and sentences. This includes speaking, using gestures, or even drawing pictures to communicate. When your child talks, tells stories, or uses words to express what they want or how they feel, they are using their expressive language skills.

Social skills are the tools and behaviours that people use to interact, communicate, and connect with others. These skills include listening, conversational skills, respecting others personal space, greeting and farewells, resolving conflict… (the list really does go on!).

Socialising with others can look difficult for so many children (and adults alike). At Leaps n Bounds Speech Pathology, we encourage neurodiversity affirming practice. We recognise that different people socialise and interact in different ways - there is no ‘right’ way to socialise.

We are here to support with facilitating your child’s awareness and understanding of their own communication style. We can help your child to recognise the barriers to making and maintaining friendships and provide them with strategies to know how to safely and appropriately navigate these challenges that may arise within social situations. For example, if your child is not comfortable with giving someone eye contact in a conversation, we might suggest that your child says, “I’m not looking at you, but I am listening to everything you are saying”. This will ensure your child feels comfortable while their communication partner feels respected.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) refers to various methods and tools used to assist people who have difficulty with spoken language or are non-speaking in communicating their thoughts, needs, and desires. AAC can include devices (e.g., a communication system on an iPad or tablet), symbols, or gestures (key word sign).

Sometimes teens need a little extra support with navigating social skills and communication within the community. We are here to help with skills such as

• Ordering a meal

• Going shopping (writing a shopping list, finding items in a store, evaluating cost, using a self-serve checkout etc.)

• Reading community signs

• Asking for help

• Self advocating

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