Services
Stammering/dysfluency
We provide therapy for pre-school and school-age children, teenagers and young adults who stammer. We offer a wide range of approaches, including physical and cognitive therapies, working closely with clients and their families to support them within the context of their own learning styles and strengths.
Our approach in working with pre-school and young school-age children is based around the Michael Palin Centre Parent-Child Interaction approach, and involves working in collaboration with parents and children to help them develop a positive approach towards creating a 'fluency-friendly' environment, alongside direct work with the child if this is felt to be appropriate. This approach is well supported by recent clinical evidence in achieving lasting benefits to the family and the child who stammers.
With older children, teenagers and adults, the approach is structured carefully around each individual's particular end goals, whether this is to do with modifying their level of fluency by working on specific fluency-enhancing techniques, or involves a change in how they see themselves as a person who stammers. From time to time, we may be able to offer intensive group sessions as part of your therapy.
Difficulties in reading and spelling and dyslexia
We provide therapy for children, young people and adults who experience difficulties in reading and spelling, or who have a diagnosis of dyslexia. A person might experience difficulties in: phonological awareness (the ability to identify and manipulate the sounds in words); verbal memory (for example, remembering a set of spoken directions in the correct order); and language processing speed. Dyslexia is not linked to a person's intelligence, in fact, some of the most creative thinkers in history had dyslexia! Sometimes literacy problems might occur alongside other language problems, and can also effect other areas, such as motor coordination, mental calculation, concentration and personal organisation, and it's helpful to think of dyslexia as occurring along a continuum from mild to severe. Therefore a thorough assessment is carried out to identify your communication 'profile' at the start of therapy, and we will provide a structured plan of therapy to help you progressively work towards your goals.
Speech sound disorders and language development
In addition to providing one-to-one therapy for your pre-school and school-age child, we work closely with parents and carers, particularly of very young children, so that you feel confident and knowledgeable about supporting your child in his or her developing communication. We also provide support and advice for teaching staff in your child's nursery or school so that she/he receives consistent support across their day-to-day environments.
We work with pre-school and school-age children who:
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have unclear speech or difficulty saying words (including children with articulation disorders, phonological delay/disorder and verbal dyspraxia)
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children who are late talkers
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children who have difficulty understanding language or who have auditory processing issues
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children with limited attention and listening skills
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children who find it difficult to form sentences
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children who need help developing their play skills
Voice therapy and speech work
Services are offered to children, teenagers and adults for voice disorders including:
Voice therapy - including treatment for dysphonia (voice difficulty) arising from:
- hoarse voice
- vocal cord nodules
- vocal rehabilitation work following loss of voice
- pitch disorders
Speech work - including:
- presentation skills and speech delivery
- speech clarity
- vocal confidence
Please note that a voice therapy patient must be referred to speech therapy by an Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant, before commencing any programme of voice therapy.
