The Speech Sound Clinic

The Speech Sound Clinic welcomes you from wherever you are in the country. Oonagh and Kate are both independent speech and language therapists, who collaborate on different projects throughout the year. We created The Speech Sound Clinic as a digital space to share helpful information through our blogs and our social media content, as well as a space to highlight our individual services. Our mission is to enable more clients to access quality speech and language therapy, either in person or through teletherapy. We care about evidence based, quality therapy and how we can achieve the best possible outcomes together.

Contact us today and see how we can help.

How Can We Help

At The Speech Sound Clinic we provide our clients with access to evidence based therapy, always striving to achieve the best results for your child. We pride ourselves on delivering neurodiverse affirming therapy strategies to all of our cllients. We provide therapy in a location that is most convenient for you and your child; from clinic based sessions, to home visits, to school consultations and online teletherapy.

At The Speech Sound Clinic we provide speech and language assessment and therapy to children with a range of speech, language and communication difficulties:

✅ Autism
✅ Late Talkers
✅ Down Syndrome
✅ Developmental Disorders
✅ Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)
✅ Speech Sound Disorders
✅ Stammering
✅ Early Intervention
✅ Situational Mutism
✅ School-Age Language Disorders

We strive to provide therapy that is fun, interactive and engaging for your child. Above all, our therapy approach is child-led and individualised for your child's needs.

Assessment

This the first step on your speech and language journey. An initial assessment is recommended for the first session, as it will allow us to get to know you and your child, and give us the time needed to develop an intervention plan that is specific to your child's needs. This assessment is typically play based, using a variety of pictures, objects, games, as well as information provided by the parent.

We also provide standardised assessment and detailed reports. These assessments are more formal and are typically required when submitting applications for additional supports, or when supplementing multidisciplinary team assessments.

These types of assessments are also beneficial when we want to create a more in dept analysis of a child's language profile.

Therapy

Following on from an assessment, an intervention or therapy plan is created. From here, speech therapy will be recommended to you based on your child's needs.

Therapy can be obtained weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, or it may be recommended to complete a block of therapy followed by a break for a certain length of time. Your therapist will recommend the best option based on you and your child's needs.

Training

Both Kate and Oonagh have experience providing training to both school staff and parents.

Training content is developed at the request of the organisation and based on their needs. We strive to use evidence based teaching and resources in all our training.

Examples of training previously provided:

Is My Child A Gestalt Language Processor?
Implementing Language Language in Junior Classes in a School Setting.
Developing Effective Communication Strategies for Children with Autism.
Creating a Language Enriched Environment in Primary Schools.
Introducing AAC in the home and school Environment.
Understanding Gestalt Language Processing - Where to Start.

Organisations We Have Worked With

✅ Parent Led Autism Networks
✅ Dublin Library Initiatives

✅ Stepping Stones School for Children with Autism and Complex Needs.

✅ Various Primary and Secondary schools - training both teachers and SNAs.

Online Parent Consultations

We are aware of the long waiting

lists to access therapy. Therefore, we have online consultations available to provide you with strategies to get you started. These consultations can cover a range of topics: late talkers, gestalt language processors, introducing an AAC, and an opportunity for teachers to access consultations. Oonagh strives to equip parents and teachers with the knowledge necessary to understand both analytic and gestalt language processing and develop effective strategies for fostering natural language development within the home and school. Through personalised consultations and expert guidance, she will empower parents to create a nurturing environment where children can naturally acquire and master language skills.

School Based Therapy

Both Oonagh and Kate provide consultation and therapy services to mainstream and special schools and preschools. Within this environment, they liase closely with teachers and SNA's to implement curriculum based therapy and more individualised therapy practices.

Parent Support Community
& Training

Oonagh offers this inclusive online learning platform tailored for parents of autistic children. Benefit from the expertise of a Speech and Language Therapist, while joining a close-knit community of supportive parents. Navigate 8 enriching modules, equipping you with the tools to enhance your child's communication and language skills and foster their holistic growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT DOES A SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST DO?

Speech and language therapists adopt a holistic view when working with children. They assess their needs across a range of areas; communication, speech, receptive and expressive language development and their social skills. Core deficits are identified and an intervention plan is developed based on their priority needs, their strengths and weaknesses. Speech and language therapists work collaboratively with parents, teachers, occupational therapists, psychologists, behaviour support teams and other professionals. As well as this, they use systems and strategies that have a strong evidence base.

ARE YOUR FEES COVERED BY HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES OR THE MED 1 FORM?

Yes. You can claim 20% of a fee back through the MED 1 form, which can be obtained through the revenue website.

Most health insurance companies offer a percentage of our fee back.

However, we recommend that you contact and speak directly to your health insurer for more information on your specific policy and your entitlements.

I AM WORRIED ABOUT MY CHILD'S SPEECH, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

If you're concerned or worried, don't feel that you are alone. Pick up the phone and give us a call, or send a quick email with your concerns and we'll get back to you with some advice on what to do next. Children learn in different ways and meet milestones at different times, so a chat might put your mind at ease.

The Speech Sound Clinic

How Can We Help