We provide speech therapy online for children, adolescents and adults with spina bifida.
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 spina bifida?
Speech therapy can provide several benefits for individuals with spina bifida, particularly in areas related to communication, cognitive function, and social skills. Here are some ways in which speech therapy can be beneficial:
1. **Communication Skills**: Individuals with spina bifida may face challenges related to speech articulation, language development, and social communication. Speech therapy can help improve these areas, enabling better expressiveness and comprehension in both verbal and non-verbal communication.
2. **Language Development**: Many children with spina bifida may have language delays. Speech therapy can help enhance vocabulary, sentence structure, and overall language skills through tailored activities and exercises.
3. **Social Skills and Pragmatics**: Speech therapists can work with individuals to improve their social communication skills, such as turn-taking, topic maintenance, and understanding social cues. This is essential for fostering interpersonal relationships and effective communication in social settings.
4. **Cognitive-Communication Therapy**: Some individuals with spina bifida may experience cognitive challenges that affect memory, attention, or executive functioning. Speech therapists can implement strategies to support cognitive-communication skills, enhancing problem-solving and organizational abilities.
5. **Feeding and Swallowing**: If individuals with spina bifida have associated feeding and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), speech therapists can assess and provide targeted interventions to address these issues, ensuring safe and effective eating.
6. **Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)**: For those who have significant communication difficulties, speech therapy can introduce AAC devices or techniques to help individuals express themselves and communicate their needs more effectively.
7. **Self-Advocacy Skills**: Speech therapy can also focus on empowering individuals with the skills and confidence needed to advocate for their needs and preferences in various settings, including educational and occupational environments.
8. **Integration with Rehabilitation Goals**: As speech therapy often intersects with physical and occupational therapy, coordinated efforts can help individuals achieve broader rehabilitation goals, improving overall quality of life.
Overall, speech therapy plays a crucial role in supporting the unique needs of individuals with spina bifida, enhancing communication abilities, promoting independence, and facilitating social engagement.
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 spina bifida. 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 spina bifida 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.