Contact
Phone: (02) 7825 2076
Location: Outpatients building, level 2
About our service
The speech pathology department provides assessment and therapy to children with a range of feeding and communication difficulties.
Services are provided to patients admitted to the hospital as well as outpatients who meet referral criteria.
Speech pathologists work with
- brain injury service
- child development unit
- cleft lip and palate service
- craniofacial service
The department also offers a clinical education program to speech pathology students and provides clinical supervision for speech pathologists in the community.
Referral process for clinicians
Our department is using Consultmed to manage referrals. The Consultmed platform allows health professionals to send e-referrals to us securely.
Consultmed questions and technical support: helpdesk@consultmed.co
Appointment process for parents and carers with a referral
Upload your referral
Appointments at our clinic require a referral from your GP or clinician. If you have a referral, you can upload it using our secure portal managed by Consultmed.
Track your referral
When we receive the referral, we will send you an email with your tracking information. We will update you as we process the referral and book your appointment.
To receive these updates, please include your email on the referral.
If you have questions or require technical support, please contact helpdesk@consultmed.co.
Need support?
If you need help or have questions about the referral and appointment process, please contact us.
Phone: (02) 7825 2076
Clinic information
Communication services
The service provides outpatient assessment for children with communication difficulties including language delay, speech sound disorders and stuttering.
A therapy service is also provided to children aged 0-6 years with identified communication difficulties who meet the referral criteria and live within the local area.
Children who do not meet criteria to receive therapy services at the hospital are offered alternative speech pathology services.
Referrals are accepted from: paediatricians and specialists.
Referrals should be addressed to: The Speech Pathology Department, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145
Voice clinic
The voice clinic provides assessment for children with voice disorders.
This includes children with
- hoarse voices
- voices that are too high or low, or too quiet to communicate effectively
- children who may also lose their voice often.
The aim of the clinic is to determine the reason for the child’s voice difficulties and to form a plan for their management.
At the voice clinic
- the speech pathologist conducts a thorough assessment of the child’s voice
- the child may also see the Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) doctor if they require an examination
- this may involve a nasendoscopy procedure where a small camera is passed through the nose to look at the child’s voice box.
Some children require further voice therapy. This may be offered at the voice clinic or your child may be referred to a speech pathologist closer to home.
Referral requirements and process
- referrals to the voice clinic are accepted from medical doctors, including general practitioners
- referrals are accepted for children ages 3 to 16 years
- assessments can be conducted for children around the state
- a limited therapy service is also provided.
Referrals should be addressed to: The Voice Clinic, Speech Pathology Department, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145
Feeding services
The Children's Hospital at Westmead has a range of services for children with feeding difficulties. This includes outpatient feeding assessments and reviews with a speech pathologist and specialist feeding clinics involving other health professionals (e.g. paediatrician, dietitian).
Instrumental assessments of feeding are also provided, including Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS) and Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) (more information in the section below).
Feeding clinics are available through the Feeding and dysphagia service.
Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS)
Videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSS) involve an x-ray of a child's swallow. They are also known as Modified Barium Swallows.
VFSS are performed in conjunction with medical imaging. This service is offered for patients who need further assessment for risk of aspiration.
Before booking a VFSS
A feeding assessment should be conducted prior to booking a VFSS. This can be completed by the child's local speech pathologist or by a speech pathologist at The Children's Hospital at Westmead.
Referral requirements and process
Referrals for VFSS are accepted from paediatricians and other medical specialists with referring rights to the hospital. A medical imaging request form must be completed by the referring specialist.
Referrals should be addressed to: Speech Pathology Department, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Locked Bag 4001, Westmead NSW 2145
Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)
Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) involves assessment of a child's swallow with a endoscopic camera. This is performed in conjunction with the ear, nose and throat surgeons. It assesses the risk of aspiration.
The FEES service is limited. Referrals are only accepted from specialists within the hospital.
