Speech and language therapist

Speech and language therapy provides treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, or with eating, drinking and swallowing. They assess, then give you and your child practical strategies, and they usually work with nursery or school too.

How you get to see one: in many areas you can refer your child yourself. Ring your local NHS speech and language therapy service and ask. You do not have to wait for someone else to refer you, although some services only accept referrals from health visitors or schools. You can also ask your GP GP Your family doctor. For many families the GP is the first person to talk to, and the person who refers your child on to a specialist. Read the full definition of GP , health visitor Health visitor A health visitor is a nurse or midwife with extra training who works with families from pregnancy until a child turns five. They do the development reviews and you can contact them directly. Read the full definition of Health visitor , nursery staff or teacher for a referral. For a private therapist, families can search the ASLTIP directory.

Can they diagnose? They assess and diagnose speech, language and communication difficulties. They do not diagnose autism Autism Autism is a difference in how the brain develops. It shapes how an autistic child sees and experiences the world, how they communicate, and how they respond to things like noise, light and touch. Read the full definition of Autism or ADHD ADHD ADHD is a difference in the way a child's brain works. It affects how they pay attention, how much energy they have, and how easily they act on impulse. Read the full definition of ADHD on their own. They are qualified to carry out some but not all parts of an autism assessment, so they do this as part of a multidisciplinary team, and they are core members of the autism team under NICE.

What to ask: whether they have experience with neurodivergent Neurodivergent Neurodivergent means a brain that works in its own way, not the way most people expect. Autistic people, and people with ADHD or dyslexia, are all neurodivergent. Read the full definition of Neurodivergent children, and what you can practise at home between sessions.