Speech Delay – The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Dynamic assessment – Let’s look beyond the checklist

ByLondon Speech and Feeding September 15, 2025September 14, 2025

As a parent, you’re always observing your child, celebrating his or her milestones, and sometimes, wondering if he or she is quite on track. When it comes to speech, language, play, attention, and listening, these early years are a whirlwind of development! It’s natural to seek guidance if you have concerns, and that’s where a truly comprehensive assessment comes in.

But what exactly does ‘comprehensive’ mean, especially when it goes beyond a typical checklist? You can find any number of check lists online these days but whilst they can give you an overall idea of what a child is typically expected to do at any given age, it can also start leading you into a rabbit hole of anxiety of ‘what-iffery’.

At The London Speech and Feeding Practice I believe in something far more insightful than a static evaluation: Dynamic Assessment. Think of it as an in-depth, interactive investigation into your child’s unique communication landscape, exploring not just what he or she can do, but how he or she learns and why he or she might be facing challenges. This is so important.

What makes an assessment ‘dynamic’?

Imagine trying to understand a child’s personality by just looking at a single photograph. It gives you a glimpse, but it hardly tells the whole story. Traditional, formal assessments, while valuable, can sometimes be like that photograph – a snapshot of skills at one specific moment.

Dynamic assessment, on the other hand, is a living, breathing process. It’s called ‘dynamic’ because:

It’s interactive and responsive: It adapts to your child’s needs in real-time. It’s not about sticking rigidly to a pre-set schedule of tests. Instead, it’s about observing, gently prompting, and providing support to see how your child responds and learns. This allows me to understand his or her learning potential, not just his or her current performance.
It’s holistic and multi-faceted: I look at the whole child. We delve deep into not just speech and language, but also his or her play skills (a crucial window into cognitive and social development), attention and listening abilities, and his or her social engagement. These areas are intricately linked, and a delay in one can often impact others.
It integrates multiple perspectives: Your insights as a parent are invaluable! Before we even meet, my comprehensive onboarding questionnaire gathers essential background. During the assessment, your feedback, observations, and comments are woven into the fabric of our session. You are the expert on your child, and your voice is central to forming a complete picture.

More than just ‘speech’: A deep dive into development

You might initially be concerned about your child’s speech sounds, or perhaps his or her ability to form sentences. These are vital areas, but my approach goes much further. I’m keen to understand:

The ‘why’ behind the ‘what’: Is a child struggling with language because of difficulties with understanding instructions (receptive language), or with expressing themselves (expressive language)? Are his or her attention skills impacting his or her ability to follow a conversation? Is his or her play demonstrating imaginative thought, or does he or she prefer more structured, repetitive activities? These nuances are critical.
Differential diagnosis: This is where the skill of an experienced clinician truly comes into its own. Through dynamic assessment, I can differentiate between a developmental delay (where a child is following a typical progression but at a slower pace) and a disorder (where his or her development is following an atypical pattern). This distinction is vital because it guides the type of support and intervention that will be most effective. Understanding the cause of the delay or disorder is paramount to creating a targeted, impactful therapy plan.

The art of observation

While I draw upon evidence-based practice as well as a formal, standardised assessment as well as my extensive clinical knowledge, I also rely heavily on the art of observation. From the moment your child walks into the room, I’m establishing rapport, engaging them in play, and creating a safe, fun environment. It’s through this genuine interaction – often without them even realising they’re being ‘assessed’ – that the most authentic insights emerge.

This is where the magic happens:

Building rapport: A child who feels comfortable and connected will show you so much more of his or her true abilities and personality. I pride myself on creating an atmosphere where children can relax and simply be themselves.
Play as a window: Play isn’t just fun; it’s a child’s natural language. It reveals his or her understanding of the world, his or her problem-solving skills, his or her social engagement, and his or her ability to use symbols and language.
Skilled interpretation: My years of experience allow me to see beyond surface-level behaviours and interpret the subtle cues that might indicate underlying strengths or challenges. This goes far beyond what any standardised test alone can capture.

Why choose a clinician who offers dynamic assessment?

In essence, a dynamic assessment provides a rich, nuanced, and truly personalised understanding of your child. It’s an investment in:

Accuracy: Leading to a more precise diagnosis and understanding of his or her unique profile.
Tailored support: Enabling the creation of highly individualised therapy goals that truly meet your child where he or she is and gently guide him or her forward.
Empowerment: You’ll leave with not just answers, but also practical strategies and a clear path forward, feeling confident and informed.

If you’re seeking a thorough, empathetic, and truly insightful assessment for your child’s communication development in London, I invite you to get in touch. Let’s work together to unlock your child’s full potential.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists Member

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Speech and Language Therapy

Submucous cleft palate: What is it and how does it impact on speech?

ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 26, 2025August 26, 2025

What exactly is a submucous cleft palate?

A submucous cleft palate (SMCP) is much less obvious than its counterparts, cleft of lip and/or palate, and can profoundly impact a child’s speech development. It leads to often extreme hyper nasal speech and difficulty with producing many sounds (/K/ /G/ /T/ /D/ /P/ /B/ /S/ /Z/ /F/ /V/).

In short, the muscles and bone of the soft palate, and sometimes the hard palate, do not fuse completely during foetal development and the mucous membrane that lines the roof of the mouth remains intact, effectively camouflaging the underlying muscular and bony deficit.

So, while the surface of the palate appears normal, the essential muscle and functions responsible for sealing off the nasal cavity from the oral cavity during speech are compromised. This cleft (or lack of muscle) can be seen as a bluish midline discoloration of the soft palate, often a bifid (split) uvula, and at times a notch in the posterior border of the hard palate can be felt upon palpation. However, these signs aren’t always present or easily discernible, contributing to the difficulty arriving at a diagnosis.

Diagnosing a submucous cleft palate is often akin to searching for a needle in a haystack, especially for the untrained eye. Unlike overt clefts that are visually apparent at birth, an SMCP can go undiagnosed for years, sometimes well into childhood or even adolescence. Paediatricians and even ENT surgeons have been known to miss it during routine checks due to the intact mucosal lining. Parents might notice their child’s speech sounds ‘different’ or ‘nasal’ but struggle to pinpoint the cause. Children might undergo extensive speech therapy without a proper diagnosis, as the underlying structural issue continues to hinder progress.

My experience as a speech therapist in private practice:

Over my years of practice, I have encountered several children presenting with persistent hyper-nasal speech and significant difficulties producing plosive and fricative sounds.

It has been incredibly rewarding, though at times challenging, to successfully diagnose SMCP in a number of these children. My approach often involves:

a meticulous oral motor examination,
careful listening for the specific qualities of hypernasality,
and a deep understanding of the physiological requirements for clear speech sound production.

When I suspect an SMCP, I refer these children to Great Ormond Street Hospital where a fantastic multidisciplinary team, typically including ENT surgeons and a specialist speech-language therapist can conduct more definitive assessments. These assessments often involve instrumental analyses such as videofluoroscopy or nasoendoscopy, which provide objective measures of velopharyngeal function and visual confirmation of the anatomical deficit.

The path to resolution: surgery, therapy, and successful outcomes

Surgery

The journey for these children, once diagnosed, often involves surgical intervention. It’s not uncommon for children with SMCP to undergo multiple operations to achieve optimal velopharyngeal closure. These procedures aim to reconstruct or augment the velopharyngeal mechanism, enabling it to effectively separate the oral and nasal cavities during speech. The specific surgical approach depends on the individual child’s anatomy and the severity of the velopharyngeal insufficiency. It’s a testament to the skill of these specialised surgeons that such intricate repairs can be performed with remarkable success.

Speech therapy

Following surgery these children embark on the crucial phase of speech therapy. While surgery addresses the structural problem, speech therapy helps a child learn to utilise their newly improved anatomy. It involves intensive work on developing oral airflow, establishing correct articulatory placement, and reducing learned compensatory strategies that have developed due to the original structural deficit. It is immensely gratifying to witness the transformation. Children who once struggled to produce basic sounds, whose speech was difficult to understand, gradually develop clear speech.

Next steps?

If you’re a parent concerned about your child’s speech and feeding, you’re not alone. The journey can feel confusing, but professional guidance can make all the difference. Never hesitate to have a second opinion when you have that niggling feeling that there is something that has not yet been explored. At London Speech and Feeding I specialise in being thorough and thinking outside the box.

I am here to provide the support you need. Reach out to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards helping your child communicate and thrive.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Lisp · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Conquering the ‘slushy’ /S/: Your guide to treating lateral lisps

ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 13, 2025August 12, 2025

As a speech therapist, few things are as rewarding as helping a child find their clear, confident voice. Among the various speech sound disorders, the ‘lateral lisp’ – often described as a ‘slushy’ or ‘wet’ /S/ sound – presents a unique challenge. While it can be tricky to treat, I’m thrilled to share that I’ve had significant success in helping children overcome this particular hurdle.

What is a lateral lisp?

Most people are familiar with a frontal lisp, where the tongue protrudes between the front teeth, resulting in a /TH/ sound for an /S/ (e.g., ‘thun’ for ‘sun’). A lateral lisp, however, is different. Instead of the air escaping over the front of the tongue, it escapes over the sides, often giving the /S/ and /Z/ sounds a distinct, muffled, or ‘slushy’ quality. This happens because the tongue is not forming the correct central groove, allowing air to spill out laterally.

The science behind a perfect /S/ vs. a slushy one

To understand how to fix a lateral lisp, it’s helpful to understand how a ‘perfect’ /S/ sound is made. Imagine a narrow, focused stream of air. For a clear /S/ sound, your tongue forms a shallow groove down its centre, directing a precise, thin stream of air right down the middle, over the tip of your tongue, and out through a tiny opening between your tongue and the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth. This focused airflow creates that crisp, sharp /SSSS/ sound we recognise.

Now, picture what happens with a lateral lisp. Instead of that neat, central channel, the tongue is often flatter or positioned in a way that allows the air to escape over one or both sides. Think of it like a river overflowing its banks – the air, instead of flowing in a controlled stream, spills out sideways, creating that characteristic ‘slushy’ sound. This lateral airflow is what we need to retrain.

Why is it tricky to treat?

Treating a lateral lisp can be challenging for a few reasons:

Habitual muscle memory: The way the tongue moves and positions itself for a lateral lisp is deeply ingrained. It’s a motor habit that needs to be unlearned and replaced with a new, more precise movement.
Subtle differences: The difference between a lateral lisp and a correct /S/ sound can be quite subtle to perceive, both for the child and sometimes even for parents. This makes it harder for the child to self-monitor and correct.
Oral motor control: It requires fine motor control of the tongue muscles to create and maintain that central groove for airflow.

My success with children aged six years and over

I’ve found great success in treating lateral lisps, particularly with children aged six years and older. Why this age group? By this age, children typically have:

Increased awareness: They are more aware of their speech and often more motivated to make changes. They can better perceive the difference between their ‘slushy’ /S/ and a clear one.
Improved cognitive skills: They can understand and follow more complex instructions and strategies.
Better self-monitoring: Their ability to listen to themselves and correct their own speech improves significantly.
Enhanced oral motor control: Their fine motor skills, including those of the tongue, are more developed, allowing for greater precision.

My approach focuses on a combination of auditory discrimination, tactile cues, and targeted myofunctional exercises to help children ‘feel’ the correct airflow and tongue placement. We use a variety of engaging activities to make the process fun and effective.

It is crucial to understand tongue functioning and focusing on correcting improper oral resting posture and muscle function, which are often significant contributors to a lateral lisp. For example, if the tongue rests low and wide in the mouth consistently, or if there’s a tongue thrust during swallowing, these habits can prevent the tongue from achieving the precise, midline placement necessary for a clear /S/ or /Z/ sound. Through targeted exercises I aim to re-educate the oral and facial muscles, promoting correct tongue posture at rest, during swallowing, and, ultimately, during speech production. By strengthening the muscles responsible for tongue lifting and encouraging a more appropriate swallowing pattern we can establish the correct oral motor skills needed to overcome a lateral lisp and achieve clearer articulation.

The recipe for success: Little and often

The single most crucial ingredient for success in treating a lateral lisp is daily home practice of all the strategies given. This isn’t about long, arduous sessions; it’s about consistency. Think of it like building a muscle: short, frequent workouts yield better results than sporadic, intense ones.

My recommended formula is ‘little and often’. This means:

Short, focused sessions: Aim for 5-10 minutes of practice, 2-3 times a day. This prevents fatigue and keeps the child engaged.
Integrate into daily routines: Practise while waiting for dinner, during a car ride, or before bedtime. Make it a natural part of their day.
Positive reinforcement: Celebrate every small success! Encouragement goes a long way in building confidence and motivation.
Parental involvement: Parents play a vital role in providing consistent cues and encouragement at home. I equip families with clear, easy-to-follow strategies.

Overcoming a lateral lisp requires dedication, but with the right guidance and consistent practice, a clear, confident /S/ sound is achievable. If your child is struggling with a ‘slushy’ /S/, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Together, we can achieve success!

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Why auditory memory matters (especially for little ones!)

ByLondon Speech and Feeding August 4, 2025August 1, 2025

Have you ever stopped to think about how we learn to speak, understand, and communicate effectively? It’s a complex dance of various cognitive skills, and one often overlooked but absolutely crucial player in this orchestra is auditory memory. It’s not just about remembering sounds. It’s about remembering sequences of sounds, which is fundamental to language development.

What exactly is auditory memory?

At its core, auditory memory is our ability to take in, process, store, and recall information that we hear. Think of it as your brain’s internal recording studio. When someone speaks to you, your auditory memory is busy at work, capturing the individual sounds, the order in which they appear, and the rhythm and intonation of the words. This isn’t just for long-term recall; it’s also vital for working auditory memory, which allows us to hold onto a small amount of auditory information for a short period, just long enough to make sense of it.

For speech and language, auditory memory is essential for:

Understanding spoken language: To comprehend a sentence, we need to remember the beginning of the sentence by the time we hear the end.
Following instructions: Remembering a sequence of commands relies heavily on auditory memory.
Learning new words: We hear a word, remember its sound, and connect it to its meaning.
Developing phonological awareness: This is the ability to recognise and manipulate the sounds in spoken language, a critical precursor to reading. Auditory memory helps children distinguish between similar-sounding words (e.g., ‘cat’ vs. ‘bat’) and segment words into individual sounds.
Producing clear speech: To articulate words correctly, we need to recall the precise sequence of sounds that make up that word.
Developing conversational skills: Remembering what was just said helps us formulate appropriate responses.

When auditory memory falls short: The impact on speech

When auditory memory is poor, particularly in young children, the ripple effects on speech and language development can be significant. Children might struggle with:

Following multi-step directions: ‘Put on your shoes, get your coat, and meet me at the door’ can become an overwhelming jumble of sounds.
Learning new vocabulary: They might hear a new word repeatedly but struggle to retain its sound pattern, making it difficult to recognise or use later.
Understanding stories or conversations: Missing key details or losing the thread of a narrative because they can’t hold enough information in their working memory.
Developing phonological skills: Difficulty with rhyming, identifying initial sounds in words, or blending sounds together to form words, which can impact early literacy.
Speech production: They might mispronounce words, omit sounds, or struggle with the correct sequencing of sounds within words.
Social communication: Difficulty participating in group discussions, remembering names, or recalling what their peers have said.
Academic performance: Auditory memory challenges can impact a child’s ability to learn in a classroom setting, where much of the instruction is delivered verbally.

It’s important to note that poor auditory memory isn’t a sign of low intelligence, but rather a specific processing challenge that can be addressed with targeted support.

Nurturing auditory memory in under 5s: Preparing for schooling

The good news is that auditory memory is a skill that can be strengthened and developed, especially during the crucial early years. For children under five, laying a strong foundation in auditory memory is an invaluable gift as they prepare for the demands of formal schooling. Here’s what we can do to help:

Read aloud regularly: This is perhaps one of the most powerful tools. As you read, encourage your child to listen for specific words, predict what happens next, and retell parts of the story. Vary your voice, use different intonations, and pause to emphasise key words.
Play auditory memory games:
- ‘Simon says’: This classic game is fantastic for following multi-step instructions. Start with one command and gradually increase the number.
- ‘I Spy’ with sounds: Instead of colours, describe sounds. ‘I spy with my little ear something that goes “moo”.’
- Rhyming games: Sing rhyming songs, read rhyming books, and encourage your child to come up with words that rhyme.
- Sound matching: Use everyday objects to make sounds (e.g., shaking keys, tapping a spoon) and have your child identify or match them.
- ‘Memory chain’: Start a sentence and have your child add to it, remembering everything that came before: ‘I went to the market and bought an apple.’ ‘I went to the market and bought an apple and a banana.’
Sing songs and nursery rhymes: Repetitive songs and nursery rhymes are excellent for developing auditory memory, rhythm, and phonological awareness. The predictable patterns help children anticipate and remember sequences of sounds and words.
Give multi-step instructions (and praise!): Start with two-step instructions and gradually increase the complexity as your child’s skills improve. Always give positive reinforcement when they succeed. ‘Please pick up the red block and put it in the box.’
Engage in active listening: Model good listening skills yourself. When your child is speaking, give them your full attention. Ask clarifying questions to encourage them to elaborate and organise their thoughts.
Reduce background noise: A quiet environment makes it easier for young children to focus on auditory information. Minimise distractions like TV or loud music during activities that require listening.
Use visual cues: While we’re focusing on auditory memory, sometimes pairing auditory information with visual cues can be helpful, especially initially. For example, when giving instructions, demonstrate the action as you say it.
Be patient and consistent: Developing auditory memory takes time and consistent practice. Celebrate small victories and create a playful, supportive environment for learning.

By actively engaging in these strategies, we can empower our youngest learners to build robust auditory memory skills, setting them up for success not only in speech and language development but also in their overall academic journey. It’s an investment that truly pays dividends in their future communication and learning abilities.

Any comments or if you need help and support with your child’s speech please do not hesitate to get in touch with me: simply fill out the contact form here on the website. I endeavour to reply within 48 hours.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

Understanding Angelman Syndrome: A guide for parents

ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 8, 2025May 7, 2025

Angelman Syndrome (AS) is a complex neurological disorder that affects development. It’s caused by a missing or functionally incorrect gene (UBE3A) on chromosome 15. While AS is rare, understanding its characteristics is crucial for parents and caregivers.

What are the key characteristics of Angelman Syndrome?

Children with AS typically exhibit a range of unique characteristics, which can include:

Developmental delay: Significant delays in reaching developmental milestones, such as sitting, crawling, and walking.
Speech impairment: Limited or absent speech. Individuals with AS may use few or no words.
Movement and balance issues: Difficulties with coordination, balance, and movement, sometimes causing a jerky or unsteady gait.
Happy demeanour: Frequent smiling, laughter, and a generally happy, excitable personality.
Intellectual disability: Varying degrees of intellectual disability.
Seizures: Seizures are common and often begin in early childhood.
Sleep difficulties: Disrupted sleep patterns and difficulty falling asleep.

The role of Speech and Language Therapy

Speech development and social communication is significantly affected in Angelman Syndrome, and therefore, Speech and Language Therapy plays a vital role in helping individuals with AS to communicate. As Speech and Language Therapists (SLT) we can work with the child and family support any of the following:

Assess communication skills: We evaluate the child’s current communication abilities, including any vocalisations, gestures, or signs they may use. With younger children we do this through play and playful social games as well as observation of a child playing and interacting with their siblings or caregivers.
Develop alternative communication strategies: Since spoken language may be limited, SLTs can help the child learn other ways to communicate, such as nonverbal communication, e.g
- Gestures: use of pointing, waving and miming certain activities.
- More formal sign language: Teaching basic signs to express needs and wants.
- Core boards: Using pictures and symbols to represent everyday common words, actions, and feelings.
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices: Providing electronic devices that can produce speech.
Encourage vocalisations: When words don’t readily develop, SLTs can encourage the child to make vocalisations and sounds, as these can be a form of communication.
Support language development: SLTs can work on understanding of language, even if expressive language is limited.
Educate and support families: SLTs provide families with strategies and techniques to support their child’s communication at home.

The importance of a multidisciplinary approach

Caring for a child with Angelman Syndrome requires a team effort. A multidisciplinary approach, involving various healthcare professionals, is essential to address the diverse needs of the individual. This team may include:

Paediatrician: Provides overall medical care and monitors the child’s health.
Physiotherapist: Helps with movement, balance, and coordination.
Occupational therapist: Works on daily living skills, such as feeding, dressing, and self-care.
Speech and Language Therapist: Addresses communication and language needs.

By working together, we can provide comprehensive care, address the unique challenges of Angelman Syndrome, and help the child reach their full potential.

Conclusion

Angelman Syndrome presents unique challenges and opportunities. With early diagnosis, appropriate interventions, and a strong multidisciplinary team, children with AS can make good progress and live fulfilling, joyful lives. As Speech Therapists we delight in supporting parents in their role in advocating for their child.

Do get in touch via my contact form if you are concerned about your child’s development.

Sonja McGeachie

Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Owner of The London Speech and Feeding Practice.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Speech and Language Therapy

The tricky /R/: Mastering tongue placement for clear speech

ByLondon Speech and Feeding March 5, 2025March 3, 2025

The /R/ sound is notoriously challenging for many children (and even some adults!). It’s one of the most complex sounds in the English language, with various pronunciations depending on its position in a word. If your child is struggling with their /R/s, you’re not alone. As Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs), we frequently work on this sound, and a key component of our therapy is focusing on proper tongue placement.

Why is the /R/ so difficult?

The /R/ sound requires precise coordination of the tongue, jaw, and lips. Unlike sounds like /P/ or /B/ that involve simple lip movements, the /R/ involves intricate tongue movements and tension. There are also different ways to produce the /R/ sound, which adds to the complexity:

Retroflex /R/: The tongue tip curls up and back towards the roof of the mouth.
Bunched /R/: The body of the tongue bunches up towards the roof of the mouth, while the tongue tip remains down.

The importance of tongue placement

Regardless of which /R/ variation is being targeted, accurate tongue placement is crucial. Even a slight deviation can result in a distorted or inaccurate sound. That’s why SLTs dedicate significant time to teaching and practising tongue positioning.

Speech therapy techniques: Focusing on the tongue

Here’s a glimpse into how I address /R/ sound difficulties, with a focus on tongue placement:

Visual aids:
- Mirrors: I use a mirror to help children see their tongue movements and make adjustments.
- Tongue diagrams and models: These visual tools provide a clear representation of where the tongue should be positioned.
Tactile cues:
- Tongue depressors: These can be used to gently guide the tongue into the correct position.
- Food-grade tools: Sometimes, I use flavoured tongue depressors or other tools to provide tactile feedback and increase awareness of tongue placement.
Auditory discrimination:
- I help children distinguish between correct and incorrect /R/ sounds.
- I use auditory cues and verbal feedback to reinforce proper pronunciation.
Exercises and drills:
- Tongue strengthening exercises: Strengthening the tongue muscles can improve control and coordination.
- Tongue placement drills: We practise positioning the tongue in the desired location and holding it there.
- Sound approximation techniques: Sometimes we use other sounds to help approximate the /R/ sound. For example, I use the /L/ sound, to help achieve the correct tongue placement. Once my child has found the /L/ sound it is then a matter of pulling back just slightly to get a good /R/.
Contextual practice:
- Once the child can produce the /R/ sound in isolation, we gradually introduce it into syllables, words, phrases, and sentences.
- We also practise the /R/ sound in different contexts, such as at the beginning, middle, and end of words.

Tips for Parents:

Be patient and supportive: Learning the /R/ sound takes time and practice.
Practise regularly: Short, frequent practice sessions are more effective than long, infrequent ones.
Make it fun! Use games, stories, and other engaging activities to keep your child motivated.
Work with an SLT: A qualified SLT can provide personalised guidance and support.

In conclusion:

The /R/ sound can be challenging, but with targeted speech therapy and a focus on tongue placement, most children can achieve clear and accurate pronunciation.

I hope this blog post is helpful!

Get in touch with me via my contact form if you need support

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Lisp · Speech and Language Therapy

Tongue training: Why tongue placement matters for clear speech

ByLondon Speech and Feeding February 12, 2025February 3, 2025

As speech and Language therapists (SLTs), we know that where your tongue goes, so goes your sound. This blog post will explore why tongue placement is so vital for speech correction and how we use tools and techniques to help our clients find their ‘sweet spot’ for sound production.

Let me show you here a little video clip where I am using my dentist’s mouth/teeth model to help my clients navigate their tongue movements.

The tongue: A tiny muscle with a big job

The tongue is a small but mighty muscle. It’s incredibly versatile, playing a key role in eating, swallowing, and, of course, speaking. For each speech sound, the tongue, along with the lips and jaw, needs to move to a very specific spot. Think of it like a dance: every part of your mouth has a choreographed movement to produce the correct sound. If the tongue is out of sync, the sound comes out muffled, distorted, or just plain wrong.

The trouble with our tongue movements is that most of us never think about how the tongue has to move and what it does to: swallow, chew, drink, suck and speak. Most parents when asked to think about their own tongue placement for say the /S/ sound are completely lost as to what their tongue is doing. Yet, of course, they produce a perfect /S/ and perfect speech in general. The same goes for swallowing. When did you last think about what happens in your mouth when you swallow? I bet you have not thought about it. We ‘just do it’, right?

Why is tongue placement so important?

Accurate tongue placement is the foundation of clear articulation. When a child struggles with a particular sound, it’s often because his or her tongue isn’t quite reaching the right spot or moving in the correct way. For example, the /S/ sound requires the tongue to be slightly raised and positioned behind the top teeth, creating a narrow channel for air to flow through. If the tongue is too far forward, you might get a /TH/ sound instead. If it’s too far back, the /S/ can sound muffled.

Visual aids: Our secret weapon

We SLTs love our visual aids! They’re incredibly helpful for showing clients exactly where their tongue needs to be. Here are some of our favourite tools:

Mirrors: Mirrors provide instant feedback. Clients can see their tongue’s position and make adjustments in real-time. We often use hand mirrors or even the mirror on a compact for quick checks.
Tongue depressors: These simple tools can gently guide the tongue to the correct position. We might use them to show where the tongue tip should rest for the /L/ sound or how the sides of the tongue should touch the molars for the /K/ and /G/ sounds.
Diagrams and models: Pictures and models of the mouth can help clients visualise the tongue’s movements. We might use a cross-section diagram of the mouth to show how the tongue forms different sounds.

Beyond the tongue: The jaw’s role

While the tongue takes centre stage, the jaw plays a supporting role. It provides a stable base for the tongue and helps control the opening and closing of the mouth. Sometimes, jaw stability is an issue, and we might use techniques to help clients find a comfortable and stable jaw position.

Making it fun and engaging

Learning correct tongue placement can be challenging, but we make it fun! We use games, stories, and playful activities to keep clients motivated. For younger children, we might use silly voices or pretend to be animals. For older children, we might incorporate their interests, like using a car analogy for tongue movements.

The takeaway

Correct tongue placement is essential for clear speech. By using visual aids, interactive techniques, and a bit of creativity, we can help our clients master their speech sounds and communicate with confidence.

If you have any concerns about your child’s speech, don’t hesitate to reach out to a qualified speech and language therapist, we are here to help! Contact me via my contact form.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

Chaining: A powerful tool for phonological development

ByLondon Speech and Feeding November 18, 2024November 13, 2024

Understanding chaining

Chaining is a therapeutic technique I like to use in my speech therapy work with children who have Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) or phonological speech sound difficulties. It helps to break down a complex target behaviour into smaller, more manageable steps. By systematically teaching and reinforcing each step, I can help my students achieve their communication goals.

There are two types of chaining: Forward and backward chaining

Today I am going to show and talk about backward chaining. This technique involves starting with the last step and working backward to the first. This approach can be particularly effective for children with persistent speech sound difficulties where combining consonants into clusters, such as /BL/ or /FR/ or /SHR/ is very difficult.

Backward chaining allows my student to experience immediate success and build his confidence.

In my video I show you how I applied backward chaining to the words ‘Shriek’, ‘Shrub’, ‘Shrimp’ etc

My student struggles with both the /SH/ and the /R/ sounds and we have been working on both sounds for some weeks now. He has mild Childhood Apraxia of Speech and he has difficulties with coordinating his tongue movements, breathing and using his jaw effectively to make words. His sound repertoire has grown a lot since we started working together last year. Today in this session I show you how we pulled both the sound /SH/ together with /REEK/ to make ‘SHRIEK’. I love using the pictures and therapy materials from Adventures in Speech Pathology.

This is also part of the Complexity approach which I will explain in a separate blog post.

Step 1 (not shown in the video): I explain what the word means; I find that when my student understands what a word means he is much better at saying it. It increases his confidence and motivation to say a word that he knows the meaning of. Often this student does not tell me that he does not know what a word means, so I always remind myself to check that out first.
Step 2 (not shown in the video): We do a little rhyming game and think about what any one word rhymes with: ‘Shriek’ – ‘meek’, ‘weak’, ‘seek’.
Step 3: I show my student that there are two parts to this word /reek/ and the sound /SH/.
Step 3: We practise the easier part: /reek/ /reek/ /reek/.
Step 4: We add the /SH/ sound and pull it together to make our target word ‘Shriek’.

/REEK/ /REEK/ /REEK/ + /SH/ = ‘SHRIEK’
/RUB/ /RUB/ /RUB/ + /SH/ = ‘SHRUB’
/RUG/ /RUG/ /RUG/ + /SH/ = ‘SHRUG’

By breaking down the word into smaller, manageable steps, my student can focus on each syllable individually, get that right and then gradually build up to the full word. This approach can help to reduce frustration and increase motivation.

Forward chaining

Forward chaining is the same process but in reverse: we start with the front sound or syllable and work forward towards the next/last part of the word:

/SH/ + /REEK/ = ‘SHRIEK’
/SH/ + /RUB/ = ‘SHRUB’
/SH/ + /RUG/ = ‘SHRUG’

Benefits of chaining

Increased motivation: By starting with the last step, my student experiences success, which boosts his motivation to continue trying to say the word and trying other words.
Reduced frustration: Breaking down the target behaviour into smaller steps can make the task less overwhelming, reducing frustration and anxiety.
Improved confidence: As the little learner masters each of the step, his confidence and self-esteem increases. Again, this leads to increased motivation.
Faster learning: By focusing on the final step first, and practising lots of chaining (forward and backward), a student can quickly learn to generalise to other words.

Backward chaining (and forward chaining) is a really great tool for teaching complex speech sounds and words to children with phonological disorders.

Watch out for my next blog which is all about the complexity approach in Phonology.

Do get in touch if your child has a speech sound disorder, I would love to help.

Any questions or need help with supporting your little one’s language please contact me via my contact form, or you could also check out www.hanen.org for advice and lots of inspiration.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy

The Hanen Program® – The beauty of the ‘4 S’

ByLondon Speech and Feeding November 11, 2024November 13, 2024

One of my favourite pieces of advice I give to parents is the ‘4 S’, a strategy coined by the Hanen Program® which I teach, particularly the ‘More than Words’ programme which is designed for and aimed at parents of children with Social Communication Difficulties or Autism. It is honestly one of those golden nuggets that I use myself in my practice and I highly recommend it to all my parents. There is something about terms like the ‘4 S’ that is easy to recall and therefore use.

Introduction

The ‘4 S’ is a strategy that helps to clarify the words we use with our children so that they can notice us, hear us and understand what we are saying.

Research shows that we use on average 120-200 words per minute during everyday conversation. That’s a lot! And our children who are still learning to communicate are often bombarded with endless speech coming at them all day long. If we take into account that many of our students are Gestalt Language Processors, we can see that picking out relevant chunks of what we are saying is not at all easy, and this contributes to our children’s delays.

So let’s look at the ‘4 S’

1. The first one is SAY LESS

This means we should use shorter, simpler sentences with good grammar, for example, something like: ‘let’s get ready, time to put our shoes on’ instead of what we might be saying: ‘come on then darling, let’s put your shoes on we need to get going it’s dark outside’ or similar.

Good grammar helps to give clues about what words mean and how they are used in sentences. So, instead of ‘shoes on’ say ‘let’s put our shoes on’.

2. The second one is STRESS

I hear you think ‘I am stressed!‘. – NO! here it means ‘highlight’. We use our voice to highlight the important words in our sentence or phrase. For example, when you say ‘this banana is so yummy’ you can stress the word ‘yummy’ by saying it a bit louder and you can make a gesture, like rubbing your tummy as you say it.

3. The third one is GO SLOW

This means to speak a bit slower than you normally would and add pauses. By slowing down the pace of our speaking we give our child time to think and understand what we are saying. When we allow for pauses after we have spoken, we are inviting our child to say something in response.

4. The last one is SHOW

Always remember to show actions, gestures, objects, and point to pictures while speaking to help support your child’s understanding. We can show our child what words mean by pointing to things or holding up objects whilst describing or talking about them.

At this point I would also like to recommend the use of Core Boards, and particularly Electronic AAC devices, such as LAMP Words for Life or PODD. I have written about this in other blogs but can always be persuaded to say a bit more on the matter… 😊 It is such a big help to have an AAC talker available for both the child and the adult so we can find words and pictures to help support the words we are saying.

For example, today when reading a book like The Hungry Caterpillar (so good!) I used my LAMP AAC talker to make comments as we were looking at the pages together with my student. Example: ‘Look! He is eating more cake he is very hungry’ using my AAC talker I was able to supplement my speech and at the same time I was inviting my minimally speaking child to press a button or two and reply with ‘cake!’ which they would not have said with their mouth otherwise.

5. It does say ‘4 S’ but really it should be ‘5’ except the fifth is not an ‘S’

The fifth is REPEAT.

Repeat words and phrases often throughout the day. When learning a language we all need to hear words and phrases several times and in different situations before we can understand, remember, and then eventually use them. Our children are ‘new language learners’ and so we can apply the same principles that we would when learning a new foreign language ourselves.

Any questions or need help with supporting your little one’s language please contact me via my contact form, or you could also check out www.hanen.org for advice and lots of inspiration.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Speech Sounds Practice at home

ByLondon Speech and Feeding July 15, 2024July 17, 2024

Speech therapists use a variety of tools to help children master specific sounds, and then the students are sent home with some practice sheets to use daily. Parents are able to observe what we do in the session, but I know that back at home three days later they can’t quite remember what it was all about and how to do the practice.

Here I explain the importance of visual cues, finger shapes, pictures, and semantic prompts (fancy speech therapy term for word clues!). By understanding these tools, you can turn practice time into a fun and engaging experience for both of you.

Why Visual Cues matter?

Imagine learning a new language just by listening. It’s tough, right? Young children learning new speech sounds face a similar challenge. Visual cues act like flashcards for their minds, giving them a clear picture of how to position their mouth and tongue.

Mirrors: Encourage your child to watch your face (and theirs) in the mirror as you make the sound together. This helps them see the tongue placement and lip movements required.
Mouth pictures: Speech therapy sheets often have pictures of mouths making specific sounds. Point to the picture and explain how the tongue and lips look, then have your child try to imitate it.
Your face is the best cue! Don’t underestimate the power of your own face. Over-enunciate the sound and let your child observe your mouth movements. Watch this little video clip where I am teaching the /SH/ sound to my little student. You cannot see him but we are both sitting on the floor opposite one another so that he can see me easily.

Finger fun: making sounds with our hands

Finger shapes are another powerful tool in my speech therapy arsenal. Think of them as fun reminders of how to position the tongue.

‘Open Wide’ fingers: For sounds like /AH/ and /OH/, hold your fingers wide apart, mimicking an open mouth.
‘Tongue Up’ fingers: For sounds like /T/ and /D/, touch the tip of your thumb to your other fingers, creating a little ‘wall’ like the tongue tip touches the teeth ridge.
‘Snake Tongue’ fingers: For the /S/ sound, wiggle your pinky finger to represent the snake-like tongue tip.
In this little video clip I am demonstrating the C-shape moving forward which I had taught my child, showing how the windy sound (/SH/) travels forward with lips open and slightly pursed.

Bringing sounds to life with pictures

Pictures serve as visual prompts to connect the sound with a familiar word.

Video clip: I am using the WINDY SOUND picture and the FLAT TYRE sound picture to represent /SH/ and /S/ respectively
Point and Say: Point to each picture and say the word clearly, emphasising the target sound. Encourage your child to repeat.

Unlocking sounds with semantic prompts

Semantic prompts are fancy words for clues that help your child guess the target sound. They can be simple questions or descriptive words.

‘Can you feel the wind whooshing?’ (/SH/)
Think of tyre going flat, or a balloon losing air, or a train coming to a slow halt (/S/)

Practice makes progress, but fun makes it funnier!

Remember, the key is to keep practice sessions light and engaging. Here are some extra tips:

Short and sweet: Stick to short practice times (5-10 minutes) to avoid frustration.
Make it a routine: Integrate practice time into your daily routine, like after breakfast or before bedtime.
Positive reinforcement: Celebrate your child’s efforts with praise and high fives!
Make it multisensory: Incorporate sensory activities like blowing bubbles for /F/ or feeling the wind for /SH/.

Parents you’re a vital part of your child’s speech development, and together we can make huge progress quickly.

Please contact me if your child has speech sound difficulties.

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips · Toys

How can we support babbling and early speech development? SLT tricks and tips

ByLondon Speech and Feeding May 3, 2024May 3, 2024

My baby isn’t babbling and developing speech – what can I do to support?

While every baby develops at their own pace, if your child isn’t babbling by nine months, it’s worth seeking help from an Early Intervention Health Professional, such as a doctor and a speech therapist. Don’t panic! There are many reasons for delayed babbling, and early intervention is key.

In the meantime, it is highly recommended that we talk, sing, and read to our baby often. Exaggerate sounds and expressions, and respond to their coos and smiles. This playful interaction helps stimulate their communication skills.

Below are some tips and tricks from my experience of working with babies and toddlers who need a little bit of help and support to develop.

The benefits of imitating your baby

Copying your baby’s sounds and gestures isn’t just silly fun, it’s a powerful learning tool! By mimicking their babbles and actions, you activate “mirror neurons” in their brain that help them connect sounds with meaning. This playful back-and-forth teaches turn-taking, a foundation for conversation. Plus, it encourages them to copy you, building their own language skills and social interaction abilities.

This is a nice clip on youtube showing how copying/imitating your baby looks like:

Here are some fun ways to imitate your baby:

Matchmaker: Grab two of the same, or two similar toys your child loves, like rainmakers or shakers. Give one to your baby and keep the other for yourself. When your child plays with his/her toy, mirror his/her actions with yours! This creates a fun, interactive game.
Face Time: Get down to your baby’s level, sitting opposite him/her on the floor or kneeling. This makes eye contact easy and encourages him/her to look at you during your playful imitation.
Be the Funniest You: Go all out with silly faces, exaggerated sounds, and big gestures. The goal is to capture your baby’s attention and make you irresistible to watch. This playful energy encourages him/her to interact and potentially imitate you back!

By incorporating these tips, you can turn imitation into a fun and engaging way to boost your baby’s communication skills. I have seen this happen numerous times over the past decades. It is very powerful, go ahead and try it! You cannot be silly and goofy enough!

Great toy ideas:

Organza Veil Fabric good for hide and seek

Bubbles – always handy keep in every room

Antic Duck Peekaboo Knob Puzzle Suction Cup Spinner toys

Did you know that speech and language development starts with how we talk to our babies?

Adults naturally use a special way of speaking called motherese. It involves a higher pitch, slower pace, and exaggerated sounds compared to regular conversation. Sentences are simpler, with shorter words and repetition. This grabs babies’ attention, helps them distinguish sounds, and reinforces word meaning.

Imitation is a key part of motherese. We wait for our baby to make a sound or gesture, then playfully imitate it with exaggeration. Babies notice this right away and often respond with more vocalisations, creating a mini conversation. This back-and-forth teaches turn-taking, a foundation for future conversations.

By responding warmly and engaging in these playful interactions, we encourage our babies to keep exploring the world of communication. Talking, singing, reading and, of course, imitating, these simple actions can have a big impact on a baby’s language development.

Once your conversation is underway then try and keep it going for as long as possible. It’s a beautiful dance of turn-taking, even without words!

A last word on oxytocin

There’s evidence suggesting early non-verbal communication with your baby can increase a mother’s oxytocin levels, often called the ‘love hormone’. This hormone plays a key role in bonding and social connection. Positive interactions, touch, and stress reduction all contribute to oxytocin release, strengthening the mother–baby bond.

For parents of babies with extra needs

The stress of caring for a child with medical needs or developmental delays can be difficult. Stress can lower oxytocin levels, creating a cycle of sadness for both parent and child.

Breaking the cycle:

Knowledge is Power: Understanding the importance of communication can empower parents.
Seek Support: Speech therapists and other healthcare professionals can provide valuable guidance on communication strategies.
Start Small, Celebrate Big: Even small interactions can boost oxytocin. Focus on playful imitation and positive reinforcement. Remember, friends, family and healthcare professionals are there to encourage you.

This approach can help reverse the negative cycle and create a more positive and connected relationship between parent and child.

I hope this is helpful! Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Kind regards

Sonja McGeachie

Early Intervention Speech and Language Therapist

Feeding and Dysphagia (Swallowing) Specialist The London Speech and Feeding Practice

The London Speech and Feeding Practice

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

1

Autism Therapy · Neurodiversity · Speech and Language Therapy · Top tips

Autism – Benefits of Early Assessment and Intervention

ByLondon Speech and Feeding January 26, 2024January 4, 2024

**I think my child might be autistic – how can we help?**
Image by macrovector on Freepik

Consulting a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist can help you in several ways: assessment, informal and formal observation, discussion and advice, onward referrals, direct intervention, parent coaching, educational support and much more, all geared towards supporting you the parents, and helping your child to flourish and thrive.

First up, we can help you with assessment and advice: with a wealth of expertise in observing childrens’ play and communication, as well as knowledge of the latest research we can see a child’s strengths and areas of struggle very quickly indeed.

Within a short space of time, we can identify the areas we need to focus on and start guiding you towards helping your child to connect, respond, react and feel better.

Early detection is key

If autism is detected in infancy, then therapy can take full advantage of the brain’s plasticity. It is hard to diagnose Autism before 18 months but there are early signs we know to look out for. Let’s have a brief look at the sorts of things we look at.

The earliest signs of Autism involve more of an absence of typical behaviours and not the presence of atypical ones.

Often the earliest signs are that a baby is very quiet and undemanding. Some babies don’t respond to being cuddled or spoken to. Baby is being described as a ‘good baby, so quiet, no trouble at all’.
Baby is very object focused: he/she may look for long periods of time at a red spot/twinkly item further away, at the corner of the room for example.
Baby does not make eye contact: we can often see that a baby looks at your glasses for example instead of ‘connecting’ with your eyes.
At around 4 months we should see a baby copying adults’ facial expressions and some body movements, gestures and then increasingly cooing sounds we make; babies who were later diagnosed with autism were not seen to be doing this.
Baby does not respond with smiles by about 6 months.
By about 9 months, baby does not share sounds in a back-and-forth fashion.
By about 12 months baby does not respond/turn their heads when their name is called.
By around 16 months we have no spoken words; perhaps we hear sounds that sound like ‘speech’ but we cannot make out what the sounds are.
By about 24 months we see no meaningful two-word combinations that are self-generated by the toddler. We might see some copying of single words.

24 months plus:

Our child is not interested in other children or people and seems unaware of others in the same room/play area.
Our child prefers to play alone, and dislikes being touched, held or cuddled.
He/she does not share an interest or draw attention to their own achievements e.g., ‘daddy look I got a dog’.
We can see our child not being aware that others are talking to them.
We see very little creative pretend play.
In the nursery our child might be rough with other children, pushing, pinching or scratching, biting sometimes; or our child might simply not interact with others and be unable to sit in a circle when asked to.

What sort of speech and language difficulties might we see?

Our child might do any of the following:

have no speech at all, but uses body movements to request things, takes adults by the hand
repeat the same word or phrase over and over; sometimes straight away after we have said it or sometimes hours later
repeat phrases and songs from adverts or videos, nursery rhymes or what dad says every day when he gets back from work etc.
copy our way of intonation
not understand questions – and respond by repeating the question just asked:
- adult: Do you want apple? child: do you want apple?
not understand directions or only high frequency directions in daily life
avoid eye contact or sometimes ‘stares’
lack of pointing or other gestures

Common behaviours:

Hand flapping
Rocking back-and-forth
Finger flicking or wriggling/moving
Lining up items/toys
Wheel spinning, spinning around self
Flicking lights on and off, or other switches
Running back-and-forth in the room, needing to touch each wall/door
Loud screaming when excited
Bashing ears when frustrated or excited
Atypical postures or walking, tip toeing, can be falling over easily, uncoordinated
Can be hyper sensitive to noises, smells, textures, foods, clothing, hair cutting, washing etc.
Being rigid and inflexible, needing to stick to routines, unable to transition into new environments
Food sensitivity, food avoidance, food phobias

I mentioned this to be a ‘brief’ look at the areas and it is: each topic is looked at very deeply and each area is multi-facetted therefore a diagnosis is rarely arrived at very quickly. We want to make sure we have covered all aspects and have got to know your child very well before coming to conclusions.

Early detection is key, because we want to start helping your child to make progress as quickly as is possible. If you feel /know that your child is delayed in their speech and language development and you would like a professional opinion then please do contact me, I look forward to supporting you. It is important to know at this point, that if your child only has one or two of the above aspects it may mean that your child is simply delayed for reasons other than Autism and if that is the case, we will be able to help you iron out a few areas of need so that your child can go on thriving.

If you need help with your child, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Find a speech and language therapist for your child in London. Are you concerned about your child’s speech, feeding or communication skills and don’t know where to turn? Please contact me and we can discuss how I can help you or visit my services page.

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