Speech difficulties refer to trouble making the sounds needed for talking (e.g. rabbit —> wabbit). This can make it hard for others to understand the person.

Language difficulties refer to trouble with understanding and using words. This can look like trouble with following instructions, and getting a message across.

At All Ways Communication, we can support you with these areas. Melanie is trained in providing traditional speech and language therapy, with additional training in PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets) for motor speech difficulties, Colourful Semantics (for sentence structures) and Hanen More Than Words (to support early language development in Autistic Children).

Communication is not just talking. At All Ways Communication we are passionate about honouring all communication forms, whether it be sign language, a communication device on an iPad, using pictures, writing, or talking.

At All Ways Communication, we have experience in navigating speech generating device trials (e.g. LAMP), switch buttons, switch scanning devices, high and low tech eye gaze devices.

Literacy refers to reading and writing. Difficulties with literacy can significantly impact the way someone lives their life. This includes reading food packaging, looking at the train timetables and filling out forms.

We endeavour to support people with literacy difficulties, young or old.

Swallowing difficulties refer to when people have trouble drinking and eating safely.

Melanie has experience in administering swallowing assessments. This includes completion of mealtime management plans.

Feeding therapy refers to supporting people who may have trouble with feeding (and may or may not have trouble swallowing). This may look like sensory aversions to different textures, or anxiety around mealtimes.

Melanie is trained in Responsive Feeding Therapy.

Orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) is the assessment and treatment of functional disorders in the muscles of the face, jaws, lips and tongue. This involves using exercises to correct improper muscle habits (e.g. tongue thrusting or mouth breathing) to support improvements with breathing, chewing, swallowing and speech. This is not the same as Nonspeech Oral Motor Exercises (NSOMEs).

Melanie is trained in orofacial myofunctional therapy.