Speech Pathology

At Start Smart Tasmania, we provide evidence-based speech pathology services to support children's communication, feeding, learning and participation in everyday life.

We work with children from birth to 12 years of age, offering comprehensive assessments, individual therapy and consultation services. Every child is different, so we tailor our recommendations and intervention to their unique strengths, needs and goals.

We believe parents are an essential part of the therapy team. We work closely with families, educators and other health professionals to ensure children receive consistent support across home, school and the wider community. When needed, we can also liaise with your GP, paediatrician, lactation consultant, orthodontist or other allied health providers.

Alongside therapy, we are passionate about early intervention and prevention. We regularly provide parent education sessions and workshops covering topics such as communication development, feeding, oral function and healthy facial growth.

How we can help

Infant feeding and early feeding skills

Our speech pathologists can support infants and young children experiencing difficulties with feeding, including:

• Transition between breast, bottle and solids
• Developing safe and effective feeding skills
• Chewing and managing food textures
• Feeding difficulties associated with oral motor skills

For breastfeeding-specific support, families may also access our IBCLC service through Launceston Lactation Support at www.launcestonlactationsupport.com.au

Feeding and mealtimes

We can help children who:

• Are very selective or have restricted diets
• Struggle with different food textures
• Gag, cough or choke during meals
• Have difficulty chewing or managing food safely
• Experience stressful mealtimes

Speech sound difficulties

We support children who:

• Have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds
• Are difficult for others to understand
• Leave sounds out or substitute one sound for another
• Become frustrated because others cannot understand them
• Need support to develop clear, confident speech

Language and communication

We help children who have difficulty:

• Understanding what others are saying
• Following instructions
• Learning and using new vocabulary
• Speaking in sentences
• Telling stories or explaining their ideas
• Answering questions

Our language intervention is individualised following a comprehensive assessment. Therapy focuses on developing practical communication skills that children can use every day at home, at school and in the community. We use evidence-based approaches, combining explicit teaching, structured activities and play-based learning where appropriate, to build strong language foundations for learning and literacy.

Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)

Some speech pathology assessments may also consider aspects of oral function when they relate to speech, feeding or broader development.

We can support children who have concerns such as:

• Speech sound difficulties related to oral function
• Oral habits affecting function
• Feeding challenges involving oral motor skills

For dedicated orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) across the lifespan — including broader breathing and orofacial concerns — please visit our Healthy Faces service at www.healthyfaces.com.au

Not sure where to start?

Some families aren't sure whether speech pathology, literacy support, lactation or orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is the right pathway. We can help you identify the most appropriate place to begin.

Working together

Our goal is to give children the skills and confidence they need to communicate successfully, participate fully and reach their potential. We use approaches supported by current research and partner closely with families throughout the therapy journey.