ABCKR Speech

27/02/2026

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When Ollie’s parents noticed their confident young boy started to develop a speech stutter they started him in speech therapy right away.

This is the best start to life Ollie’s parents could give him but the reality is cost can become a burden for many families wanting the support of a speechie.

That’s why our government is making it easier for families. Come 1 March we’re increasing Medicare rebated speech pathology sessions from a total of 5 sessions, to 8 assessment and 20 treatment sessions. Because every kid should have the best start to life.

08/02/2026

✨✨ Speech Therapy & Myotherapy Spots Available! ✨
Now welcoming new clients in Medowie and surrounds.
Limited spots this term—book now: www.abckrspeech.com

13/01/2026

✨ Supporting Confident Communication ✨
At ABCKR Speech Pathology, we support children to build confident communication skills through personalised, evidence-based therapy. We work with children on speech clarity, language development, early literacy, feeding, orofacial myology and social skills, always tailoring therapy to each child’s unique strengths and needs.

We are a mobile service, providing therapy in homes, schools and preschools, where children feel most comfortable and learning is most meaningful. We work closely with families and educators to create practical strategies that support communication in everyday life. ❤️

23/12/2025

Some of our top tips for families who have neurodivergent children or adults within them...

This is not just for immediate families, if you're an Aunt or Uncle give this a read! If you're a teacher, give this a read! It's a perfect visual prompt for you and will make someone else's Christmas so much more enjoyable!

For some more resources on Christmas within families, check these out:

▶️Watch our 'Managing Behaviours at Christmas' webinar on the Sunshine Academy here: www.sunshine-support.org/academy

💛 Read our "Crucial Christmas Top Tips" - https://sunshine-support.org/crucial-christmas-tips/

🎅 Read our "Being a Neurodiverse Family at Christmas" - https://sunshine-support.org/being-a-neurodiverse-family-at-christmas/

20/11/2025

26/09/2025

When tongue suction is disrupted, oral development is disrupted.

In 2017, I first heard sleep medicine pioneer Dr Christian Guilleminault deliver a talk sharing:

👅 Sucking and swallowing amniotic fluid during fetal life helps with oral development
👅 Fetal echography can reveal abnormal palate development - an indication of abnormal fetal suction
👅 Normally, the tongue rests against the palate. Its width and convexity shape the palate’s concavity
👅 The absence of normal suction is associated at birth with a higher and narrower palate

This 10-month-old's journey included:

👶 Trouble latching - told by a lactation consultant it was just “reflux”
👶 Reflux-like symptoms
👶 Gagging and choking on thicker purées
👶 Concerns about mouth breathing - dismissed as “not a thing”

What we see in these photos:

✅ Dimpling of the tongue - suggestive of tongue-tie, preventing mid-tongue elevation for normal suction
✅ Excess tongue coating - shows the tongue isn’t clearing effectively against the palate
✅ Gutter palate - higher and narrower due to disrupted suction and swallowing

This mum later came across Breathe, Sleep, Thrive at her regular dentist. It validated her concerns and gave her the confidence to seek consultation for tongue-tie - after being dismissed multiple times.

Every parent deserves to have their concerns taken seriously. Every health care professional caring for infants needs to understand the lifelong impact of suction and oral development. The earlier we join these dots, the better outcomes we create together.

15/09/2025