Paediatric Speech and Swallow Clinic

The Paediatric Speech Therapy Team at Singapore General Hospital specialises in the assessment and treatment of communication and feeding difficulties in children from birth to adolescence (ages 0 to 18). All Speech Therapists in the paediatric team undergo continued professional development, in order to provide evidence-based services.

When should I obtain a referral for my child?

Communication Difficulties

Your child may benefit from as assessment with a speech therapist if he/she presents with communication difficulties. For example, he/she may

Have poor eye contact
Have no single words by the age of 18 months
Not be speaking short sentences (3-4 words) by the age of 3
Have unclear speech. Generally, you should understand 50% of your child's speech at 2 years old, 70-80% at 3 years old, and 100% by 4 years old
Have difficulties learning new vocabulary
Have difficulties learning and understanding grammar and sentence structures
Have difficulties expressing thoughts and ideas in words verbally and in writing
Have difficulties following long and complex instructions
Have difficulties making friends, initiating social interactions and having a conversation
Have poor academic performance

See the information sheets below for more details regarding speech and language milestones:

Feeding or Swallowing Difficulties

Your child may benefit from an assessment with a speech therapist if he/she presents with feeding difficulties. For example, he/she may:

Refuse to drink milk
Choke on drinking
Be a fussy eater or poor interest in food
Avoid certain food textures e.g. mushy or certain food groups e.g. meat or certain food colours or certain food smells
Be unwilling to try new food
Have difficulties chewing
Require distractions to eat
Sleep feed
Have long mealtimes e.g. an hour
Eat non-food items

You and your child may also benefit from an assessment with a speech therapist if you find mealtimes and/or eating with your child significantly stressful.

How can I obtain an appointment to see the Speech Therapist?

You will require a referral letter from a Singapore-registered medical doctor, made out to SGH Speech Therapy Department. Please call SGH Central Appointment's Hotline at 63214377 to make an appointment.

Please let our Call Centre colleague know if your primary concern is communication or feeding, so that you and your child can get an appointment with a suitable speech therapist.

What can I expect during the session?

Communication

For communication difficulties, a standard assessment session can last up to 2 hours. As part of a comprehensive assessment, the Speech Therapist will speak with you to gain a better understanding of your concerns about your child's speech and language development. The assessment process may include video and audio recordings for diagnostic and treatment purposes.

The therapist will also provide you with information about children's development of communication. There will be an opportunity to discuss treatment options available as well as your expectations of treatment.

Feeding or Swallowing

For feeding or swallowing difficulties, a standard assessment session will last about an hour. As part of a comprehensive assessment, the Speech Therapist will speak with you to gain a better understanding of your concern about your child's eating. The therapist may want to observe your child's interaction with a meal so it would be helpful to bring along some favourite and non-favourite foods to the session.

The therapist will also learn about your expectations of therapy and discuss with you management options for your child's feeding and eating challenges. There will be opportunities for you to ask questions.

How long will the treatment process take?

A typical therapy session will last approximately 45 to 60 minutes. It will take place in our clinic, on weekdays, during office hours. Your speech therapist will discuss the frequency of therapy suitable for your child, depending on the severity and nature of the diagnosis. Group or paired therapy sessions may also be offered.