Speech and Language therapists

A life-changing injury or diagnosis can have a major impact on our ability to communicate, and to eat and drink. Speech and Language Therapists work to address these issues and improve areas of difficulty.

At Oxford Children's Rehabilitation Service we work with children and their families to optimise their communication, eating and drinking skills through assessment and practice activities. We develop a programme to help to the achieve the best possible communication, or the safest eating and drinking. We teach children and their families how to carry out the programme and be able to practice these skills throughout the day.

We can help with:

• eating and drinking - for example, assessing whether a child can safely swallow food or drinks
• social interaction and play
• understanding - including understanding of routines and understanding of spoken words, sentences and instructions
• using spoken language - including using spoken words and sentences to communicate, or developing a system of alternative, augmentative communication (AAC)
• pronunciation.

We work closely with the other members of the team (including Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists) to ensure that communication is supported in these activities as well.

Your child's appointment

We see inpatients in the Children's Critical Care Unit, or on a ward in Oxford Children's Hospital.

We see outpatients at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre. An appointment usually lasts up to an hour, depending on your child's energy levels.