Mighty Speech for Mighty Mouths...
Nicole Hutchinson is a Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist with Speech Pathology Australia and provides speech pathology services for children, families and adults.
What is a Speech Pathologist?
(Referenced from www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au)
“Speech pathologists provide diagnoses and treatment plans to a broad scope of people related to communication such as speech, language, fluency swallowing and feeding disorders. This can include helping people with things like speaking, hearing, listening, understanding language, reading and social skills. It also includes specific conditions like stuttering, stroke rehabilitation, brain injuries, learning difficulties, swallowing and feeding difficulties and more.
Speech Pathologists fit into a unique health category that sits between a number of primary and allied health fields. Speech Pathologists can work closely with the medical profession (such as GPs and Ear Nose and Throat surgeons), manual therapists (physios, chinos, osteos), psychologists, dieticians and dentists to name a few. You may even have been referred to Speech Pathology by one of these practitioners or depending on your needs, your speech pathologist may refer you to one as part of the plan.
At Mighty Mouth Nicole works with and has a special interest in speech, understanding language, expressive language, literacy (pre-reading, reading and spelling), orofacial myofunctional disorders (tongue thrust) and hearing impairment
What does a Speech Pathologist do?
Typically, Speech Pathologists study, assess and treat communication and feeding and swallowing issues with a variety of tools and techniques. At Mighty Mouth, Nicole also a trained in Orofacial Myology and has Cert 3 Auslan.
This means that your Mighty Mouth sessions may involve targeting speech and language and correcting lips, face and tongue posture for swallowing as these are big contributors to clear speaking!
Initially, a speech assessment would consist of gathering your case history and identifying your or your family's primary concerns. From there, Nicole works to formulate a plan that is specific to you, there are no standardised templates in Speech Pathology at Mighty Mouth.
The length of a plan really depends your situation with respect to your needs, budget, time constraints and dedication to the home program.
Parents please note: ALL our programs require you to do follow up at home between sessions. This process is family oriented and collaborative.
What can I expect in my next sessions?
At Mighty Mouth a typical Speech Pathology session is between 30 - 45 mins and consists of:
Reviewing your progress since last time
Working on set goals such as achieving an "S" sound in speech
Use fun activities to work towards this goal/outcome
Plan home-based activities to keep the work going between appointments
At Mighty Mouth, all our clients (big or small) are expected to work on their home-based activities. This is where the action really is, we are there to guide and monitor your progress, determine strengths and weakness, set goals and use what you have at home already to achieve these.
Ready to Start?
If you think you might need help with your speech and language and you want to make your mouth as Mighty as possible, head over to our make an appointment page and we can make a time to get started!
Not ready for a full start but want to dip your toe in? Just contact Mighty Mouth and we'll answer your query.