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Tuesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Pip Squeak Speech Pathology

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Pip Squeak Speech Pathology

Pip Squeak Speech Pathology is a paediatric, mobile Speech Pathology service in Perth, WA

03/02/2026

Did you know that research shows that looking at family photos with toddlers can boost language skills and support social-emotional development?

🧠 Language learning: Talking about familiar people and events helps toddlers practise vocabulary, sentence-building, and narrative skills (Reese & Newcombe, 2007).
💖 Emotional understanding: Seeing loved ones in photos helps children recognise relationships and understand emotions, supporting attachment and empathy (Fivush, 2011).
🗣 Social interaction: Sharing memories encourages turn-taking, joint attention, and conversation, key foundations for communication.

Tips for using a photo album:

1. Choose familiar faces & moments: 10–15 favourite photos are enough.
2. Toddler proof: Choose a cheap album, which won't matter if it breaks
3. Ask questions: “Who is this?” or “What were we doing here?” encourages conversation. Balance this with comments stating what you see.
4. Make it routine: Look through the album daily or weekly to strengthen memory and connection.

A simple photo album is a powerful tool for early language and social development and it’s fun too 🙌

29/01/2026

Same sign. Real impact. ✨️

I modelled eat during everyday routines.
Months later, he used it independently to communicate a clear message in context, without prompting.

Evidence shows baby sign supports early communication, reduces frustration, and does not delay spoken language.

It works because it’s meaningful, responsive, and embedded in real life. 💛

27/01/2026

Communication boards are amazing but a single board at a playground isn’t enough. At a large park recently, there was a great board right at the entrance… but it was miles away from the equipment. To use it, kids would have to walk across the park, which isn’t easy or efficient. And while the board was mostly core words, it didn’t include key words for the park’s water play area, like “water” or “drink.”

AAC works best when it’s personalised, flexible, and in the moment. Kids learn and engage most when they can communicate where the action is, to interact, express needs, or join play- not when they have to leave the fun to find a generic board.

Imagine if each swing, slide, or climbing frame had its own mini AAC setup, combining core and fringe words relevant to that activity:
✅ Language becomes accessible in context
✅ Social engagement happens naturally with peers
✅ Needs and wants are expressed immediately, supporting autonomy

Visibility is great, but true communication access happens where the play happens. One board for all just isn’t enough.

21/01/2026

You don’t need flashcards or drills to build early communication 👀🧱

Here, I’m modelling early core words (go, more, push, bang) with the sign while playing with a block tower.

Why this works 👇

1. Core words are high-frequency and flexible- kids can use them across many activities

2. Pairing speech + sign + action supports understanding and expression

3. Repeating the same word and sign in the moment helps learning stick

4. Built-in wait time gives kids a chance to process, anticipate, and join in

5 Play keeps it meaningful, motivating, and regulation-supportive

No pressure to “say it”.
No prompting every turn.
Just clear models, repetition, and space to participate in their own way ✨

20/01/2026

Learning about the Literacy Framework totally changed the way I do language therapy 📚 Literacy-based therapy lets you teach many goals at once, in meaningful contexts, and it’s evidence-based ✅

Here’s the 5-step framework that makes therapy efficient and powerful:

1️⃣ Pre-reading knowledge activation – build background and pre-teach key words.
2️⃣ Shared storybook reading – read interactively, model language, and ask questions.
3️⃣ Post-story comprehension discussion – check understanding and talk about the story.
4️⃣ Targeted activities – practise vocabulary, grammar, narrative, and social communication all within the story.
5️⃣ Parallel story creation – have the child make a new story to apply skills creatively and support generalisation. ✏️

Why it works:
• Targets multiple goals in one session 🎯
• Saves prep time for busy clinicians ⏱️
• Language in context leads to better generalisation than drills 🌟
• Keeps sessions engaging, meaningful, and relevant 💬

A true game changer for language clients and busy SLP's

15/01/2026

This looks like a silly little game… but it’s actually how communication grows 💛

That pause before the kiss?
That look he gives me?
The wiggle, the smile, the vocalisations?

That’s communication.

Babies tell us so much through their eyes, bodies, facial expressions and sounds long before words show up. When we notice it, wait, and respond, we’re teaching them that communication works.

People games like this (peekaboo, tickles, chase, kiss trains) are powerful because they’re predictable, joyful, and full of turns. No flashcards. No apps. Just connection.

If you ever wonder “am I doing enough?” - this counts. More than you think 🥹✨

13/01/2026

Scrolling through all the takes on Autistic Barbie, it’s wild how many people who aren’t Autistic feel the need to weigh in, especially fellow therapists. Representation is great, but let’s make sure Autistic voices are the ones leading this conversation

10/01/2026

I think I can do it 🤞

10/11/2025

Did you know that speech sound development follows a predictable pattern, but every child’s journey is unique?
Research by McLeod & Crowe (2018) reviewed speech development across 27 languages and over 26,000 children. They found that most Australian English speaking children:

Produce about 75% of consonants correctly by age 4

Produce about 90% of consonants correctly by age 5

Early sounds like p, b, t, d, m, n usually appear first, while fricatives, affricates, r, and “th” sounds tend to develop later.

Importantly, these are guidelines, not hard rules. Every child develops at their own pace, and variability is normal. Therapy should focus on sounds that matter for intelligibility, communication, and the child’s daily life. Choosing therapy targets based on the child’s unique profile is more meaningful than relying on age norms alone.

Full reference:
McLeod, S., & Crowe, K. (2018). Children’s consonant acquisition in 27 languages: A cross‑linguistic review. American Journal of Speech‑Language Pathology, 27(4), 1546‑1571. https://doi.org/10.1044/2018_AJSLP‑17‑0100

27/05/2025

DIR/Floortime is a developmental, relationship-based approach that supports communication, emotional connection, and thinking skills through play and interaction.

The focus isn’t on drilling isolated skills. It’s on building meaningful, back-and-forth engagement that supports a child’s development at their own pace.

In therapy, this might look like:

- Following a child’s interests

- Joining them in their play

- Expanding interactions to support communication, problem-solving, and connection

It’s a flexible, evidence-informed model that works across settings—and aligns well with neurodiversity-affirming practice.

We use DIR/Floortime because it allows us to centre relationships, emotional regulation, and autonomy while still targeting important developmental goals.

Address

Perth, WA

Opening Hours

Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://pipsqueaktherapy.com/

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