We provide speech therapy online for children, adolescents and adults with Down syndrome.
We are a registered NDIS provider and use an inclusive approach to therapy, where the person can be in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
How can speech therapy benefit people with Down syndrome?
Speech therapy can provide significant benefits to individuals with Down syndrome in several ways. Here are some key areas where speech therapy can be especially helpful:
1. **Communication Skills**: Speech therapists work on various aspects of communication, including articulation, vocabulary, sentence structure, and overall expressive language. This helps individuals with Down syndrome improve their ability to express their thoughts, needs, and feelings effectively.
2. **Social Communication**: Therapy can emphasize pragmatic language skills, which are crucial for social interactions. Practicing conversation skills, turn-taking, and understanding social cues can enhance an individual’s ability to interact with peers and adults.
3. **Receptive Language**: Understanding language is just as important as producing it. Speech therapy can help individuals improve their comprehension of spoken language, which is vital for following directions, engaging in discussions, and understanding social contexts.
4. **Articulation and Speech Clarity**: Many children with Down syndrome may experience challenges with clarity and articulation. Speech therapists can provide targeted exercises and activities to improve speech production and make communication more intelligible.
5. **Feeding and Swallowing**: Some individuals with Down syndrome may experience difficulties with feeding and swallowing. Speech therapy can include strategies to address these concerns, ensuring safe swallowing and improving eating skills.
6. **Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)**: For those who have significant speech challenges, speech therapists can introduce AAC systems (such as picture exchange systems or speech-generating devices) which can facilitate communication and promote independence.
7. **Cognitive-Communication Skills**: Therapy can also focus on areas that intersect with cognitive skills, such as memory, attention, and problem-solving, which are essential for effective communication in various contexts.
8. **Collaboration with Families**: Speech therapists often involve family members in the therapy process, helping them learn strategies to support communication development at home and in community settings.
9. **Self-Advocacy**: As individuals with Down syndrome grow older, speech therapy can help them develop self-advocacy skills, enabling them to communicate their preferences, needs, and rights more effectively.
10. **Improving Confidence**: Effective communication can boost self-esteem and confidence. As individuals become more capable of expressing themselves, they may feel more empowered and connected to their peers and community.
Overall, speech therapy tailored to the unique needs of individuals with Down syndrome can foster improved communication abilities, enhance social interactions, and support overall development.
Services for children, adolescents and adults
We have speech therapists who work with children, adolescents and adults, and we have therapists who have experience with Down syndrome. Read more about our therapists here.
NDIS registered provider
We are a registered NDIS provider and work with self-managed, plan-managed and agency-managed clients.
If your are an NDIS provider or support coordinator we can provide reliable speech therapy for clients with Down syndrome in any location. Refer a client and we’ll connect you to the right clinician.
Is online speech therapy effective?
Yes! A growing body of evidence shows that online delivery of therapy can be as effective as face to face. Online therapy has many other benefits too, including being convenient and accessible for people in regional and rural areas.
How does online speech therapy work?
At Umbo online therapy is not just zoom plus business-as-usual. It’s much more diverse than simply videoconferencing. Umbo therapists provide an individualised approach to each person, using the latest evidence, and a variety of technologies and engagement techniques.
Umbo champions person-centred therapy. It means the person and their family/support people leads the conversation. We believe that the most effective therapy occurs when support is given in the environment where the person lives, learns, works or plays. Therefore we work with the family, and teach skills to you or to other supporters. This means you’re achieving real-life goals, rather than just achieving goals in a clinic.
We are a certified social enterprise helping Australian families access allied health services.