Who are we?

Did you know that Leaps & Bounds Speech Pathology is the longest running private speech pathology clinic in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter Region? For over 23 years we have been providing high quality, accessible and dedicated services to children and adults of all ages.  

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Leaps & Bounds currently have 3 clinic spaces available:

·        CHARLESTOWN: 11 Canberra Street, Charlestown NSW 2290

·        WARNERS BAY: 494 The Esplanade (cnr Howard St), Warners Bay NSW 2282

·        EAST MAITLAND: 20 Bruce Street, East Maitland NSW 2323

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What services do we provide?

The therapists at Leaps & Bounds regularly undertake professional development and training in a range of areas, so you can be assured your clinician is well-informed and capable of providing the highest level of care.

Some of the areas we can provide assessment, therapy, and support for include:

·        Phonological delays and disorders

·        Articulation delays and disorders

·        Stuttering or fluency concerns

·        Childhood Apraxia of Speech (speech coordination)

·        Voice(nasal, husky, irregular pitch or volume)

·        Early language development ('late talkers')

·        School-aged receptive and expressive language

·        Pre-literacy and literacy skills

·        Auditory processing skills

·        Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

·        Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

·        Gestalt Language Processing

·        Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

·        Social communication skills

·        Swallowing disorders

·        Intellectual disability

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‍Your first appointment

When you arrive at one of our clinics, you will be met with warmth and acceptance.

We ask that you arrive 10 minutes early to your first appointment to ensure all paperwork has been filled out. When your clinician is ready, you’ll enter a clinic room and make yourself comfortable.

You’ll discuss your main concerns, and your speech pathologist will outline aplan for the assessment.

Depending on the type of appointment, you may like to stay for the duration ofthe assessment, or go for a little walk and grab a coffee (some assessments can be up to 3 hours).

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What happens now?

After you’ve had an initial assessment and you’ve collaborated with your clinician to determine your goals for therapy, it’s time for the fun stuff!

We are very lucky to have access to a large range of resources, games, books, sensory items, and many other exciting things to keep you and your child engaged and motivated during our therapy sessions.

You will be provided with a regular therapy spot which remains the same each week or fortnight (depending on what was deemed most suitable for you).

Sessions typically last for 30 minutes, however we do offer 45-minute sessions and 60-minute sessions.

We offer clinic visits, preschool visits, school visits, and telehealth (Zoom) appointments. In some circumstances we may offer a home visit. Please contact our clinic for more information on the types of appointments available.

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How many therapy sessions do I need?

As many as is needed. The beautyof attending a private practice is we are not capped on the amount of sessions we can provide.

The amount of sessions you require will also be dependent on the complexity of you or your child’s needs.

Some individuals may only require a few weeks or months of therapy to achieve their goals, while others may require ongoing, long-term therapy to assist with their functional needs. You may like to discuss this with your speech pathologist.

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Why am I getting homework?

Home practice is essential for generalization of skills and to achieve goals faster.

One session a week is not enough to make significant progress unless there is also consistent practice happening at home.

Home practice will look different for each client and may include a range of play-based activities which won’t even feel like homework!

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‍Help! We got discharged but now I have more concerns!

If you have continuing concerns about yourself or your child, please get in touch and we can organise a review assessment!

Often as children develop, new challenges may arise. If you are unsure whether a review assessment is needed, please give us a call and we will be able to offer our advice.

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Where do we go from here?

If you have questions about accessing services and support from us, get in touch! One of our friendly team will be happy to chat to you, answer your questions, and give you advice for your next steps.