Speech Therapy FAQs - Sunshine Coast

Noosa & Tewantin

These are some of the most common concerns parents have about their child’s communication, including speech delay, social communication, executive functioning, and bilingual development.

Laugh Aloud Speech Co provides speech therapy on the Sunshine Coast (Noosa, Tewantin) and online across Australia.

Will my child outgrow speech and language difficulties?

Some children do catch up naturally, but others benefit from early support.

If difficulties with speech, language, or communication persist, speech therapy can help reduce frustration, build confidence, and support development at home and school.

How do I know if my child needs a speech pathologist?

Children may benefit from speech therapy if they:

Are hard to understand
Have difficulty following instructions
Struggle with social interaction
Have difficulty expressing their ideas

An early assessment helps identify whether support is needed.

When should I be concerned about my child’s speech delay?

It may be helpful to seek support if your child is difficult to understand for their age, is not yet talking, or is having difficulty expressing their needs, ideas, or feelings. You might also notice your child becomes frustrated when trying to communicate or needs extra support to follow instructions. Early support can help build communication skills and confidence.

My child is struggling to make friends or interact with other children—what’s going on?

Children may find social interaction difficult due to social communication or language processing challenges.

They may:

Struggle to start or maintain conversations
Find it hard to keep up with fast-paced talk
Misinterpret what others are saying
Struggle to understand others’ perspectives
Miss nonverbal cues

Speech therapy helps build practical social communication skills in a supportive, child-centred way.

Why does my child sound bossy, rude, or blunt when they don’t mean to?

Some children have difficulty with tone, perspective-taking, and flexible language.

This can affect how their message is interpreted by others, even when their intent is appropriate.

Why is my child having trouble following instructions or staying on task?

This may be related to language processing or executive functioning skills, including attention, working memory, and organisation.

Some children also benefit from movement to support focus. They may find it easier to engage and stay on task when they can move, rather than sitting still for extended periods.

A speech pathologist can assess these areas and provide practical strategies to support learning. In some cases, it may also be helpful to collaborate with an occupational therapist (OT) to support attention, regulation, and sensory needs.

Why can’t my child explain their thoughts clearly?

Children may know what they want to say but struggle to organise and express their ideas. Difficulties with vocabulary, grammar, or word retrieval can also affect how clearly they communicate.

What is Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) in children?

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a long-term difficulty with understanding and/or using language that is not explained by another condition.

It may affect how a child:

Understands spoken language
Uses words and sentences
Expresses ideas clearly

DLD often becomes more noticeable in the school years and can impact:

Learning
Social interaction
Confidence
Reading and writing skills

Because language is the foundation for literacy, children with DLD may have difficulty with:

Understanding what they read
Expressing ideas in writing
Learning new vocabulary

Early speech therapy support can help children build the language skills needed for communication, learning, and literacy development.

Does speaking two languages cause speech delay?

No. Speaking two languages does not cause speech delay.

Children can learn more than one language at the same time. Mixing languages or using words from both languages is a normal part of bilingual development and not a sign of delay.

If a child has a speech or language difficulty, it will usually be present across both languages, rather than being caused by bilingualism.

Maintaining a child’s home language supports communication within the family, cultural connection, and overall language development.

Should I stop speaking my home language if my child has a speech delay?

No. It is important to continue using your home language.

Children learn best from rich, meaningful interactions. Speaking in the language you are most comfortable with supports clearer communication, stronger relationships, and better language models.

Reducing to one language does not improve outcomes and may limit opportunities for connection and learning.

How can I support my child’s bilingual language development at home?

You can support both languages through everyday interactions.

This may include:

• Speaking your home language consistently
• Reading books in both languages
• Talking about daily routines and experiences
• Following your child’s interests during play

The goal is not to separate languages perfectly, but to provide frequent, meaningful exposure to both.

How can speech therapy support children with autism or ADHD?

Yes. Speech therapy can support children with autism or ADHD by developing communication, social understanding, and everyday interaction skills in ways that build on their strengths.

Why does my child understand but not talk much?

Some children understand more than they can express. They may know what they want to say but have difficulty finding the right words, putting them into sentences, or producing clear speech. This can affect how they communicate in everyday situations. Speech therapy can help support expressive language, speech clarity, and confidence.

Can speech therapy help with fussy eating or feeding difficulties?

Yes. Speech pathologists can support children with feeding difficulties, including limited food variety (picky eating), sensory sensitivities to textures or smells, and difficulty chewing or swallowing.

Feeding difficulties in children can impact nutrition, growth, and family routines, which is why early support can be helpful.

Feeding therapy focuses on helping children eat safely, expand the range of foods they accept, and make mealtimes more positive and manageable. A speech pathologist can assess your child’s feeding skills and support oral motor development (chewing and coordination), safe swallowing, gradual exposure to new foods, and reducing stress around meals.

Do I need a referral to see a speech pathologist?

No referral is required to access private speech therapy. Families can contact a speech pathologist directly to book an assessment or sessions.

How do I access speech therapy funding?

Speech therapy may also be accessed through:

Medicare (CDM plan): Your GP can refer your child for a limited number of subsidised sessions
NDIS: If speech therapy is included in your child’s plan. It will fall under capacity-building.
M10 Pathway: Referral is needed from a GP, consultant physician, or specialist. There is a lifetime cap of 28 sessions.

Support is available for toddlers, children, and teens with speech delay, autism, feeding challenges, and bilingual development.

Laugh Aloud Speech Co. offers speech therapy services for children in Noosa, Tewantin, and across the Sunshine Coast through both clinic-based and online options.