0409 083 454
info@flatchatspeech.com.au
0409 083 454
info@flatchatspeech.com.au
Flat Chat runs a Telehealth clinic specifically for treating lisp and tongue thrust. Julianne is trained in orofacial myology (muscles of the face and mouth) and has a special interest in treating lisp and tongue thrust.
Covid provided the opportunity to try out Telehealth therapy and Julianne discovered that Zoom is just as good as in-person therapy when treating lisp and tongue thrust, because the camera gives both her and the client a great view of the face and mouth.
If you are interested in booking assessment through the lisp and tongue thrust clinic, send us a message.
Have questions? Check out our FAQs below.
Lisp & Tongue Thrust Telehealth Clinic - Frequently Asked Questions:
NB. These FAQs are written to parents, with the assumption that their child is the client. If you are an adult seeking therapy for yourself, just read ‘your child’ as ‘me’!
Does it need to be on Zoom?
Yes, Zoom is the preferred platform.
How should I set up my Zoom camera?
It’s really important that your child’s face be clearly visible and close to the screen. Zoom works well because the child can see themselves and can use the camera/screen like a mirror.
In Zoom, ‘side to side view’ is the easiest format (like in the picture at the top of the page).
If you haven’t used Zoom before (or recently), then have a little play around with the options before your first session. Make sure you know how to get your sound working and change your view to ‘side to side’.
What ages can you treat?
This clinic is best for ages 4 to adult.
Your child needs to be able to understand and follow basic instructions in order to get the most benefit from this treatment.
I’m not sure if this is right for me. Can we just do one session and find out?
Absolutely. For every new client on the Telehealth clinic, the first session involves discovering whether the Telehealth format and the treatment offered by Flat Chat is the right thing for your child at this time.
How long are the sessions?
The first session is usually 45 minutes, the next 2 sessions are usually 30 minutes and after that, follow up sessions are usually a quick 15 minute check in. Times can vary depending on how long it takes to teach a new skill, so this is a rough guide.
The first few sessions will be booked 2-3 weeks apart, and once practice is well established, sessions can be booked a month apart to allow time for practice and change to occur.
How much does it cost?
Sessions are charged at a pro-rata rate of $190 per hour (ie. a 30 minute session will cost $95).
How does payment work?
Payment is by credit card online. Before your first session, you will be emailed a link to securely enter your credit card details. Payment is processed after the session and a receipt emailed to you.
Can I get a private health rebate?
Yes, if your insurance covers Speech Pathology services.
After your session, you will be emailed a receipt that you can use to claim from your private health.
My GP has given me a Medicare Extended Primary Care (EPC) plan. Can I use it?
Yes. You pay the full fee for the session, and Flat Chat will process your Medicare rebate of $58 on your behalf.
If you do not have a Medicare referral from your GP, that’s fine – you don’t need a referral to start treatment with Flat Chat.
If you would like to, you can ask your GP for a Medicare Care Plan in order to access the rebates (for a maximum of 5 sessions per year). It is entirely up to your GP to determine who is eligible for a Medicare Care Plan.
What if I need a referral to an ENT?
It is so common for lisp and tongue thrust clients to need an ENT referral that a letter to your GP and an ENT can be provided at no extra cost.
What about reports?
Most people don’t want or need reports for lisp and tongue thrust so this has not been included in the pricing. If you need a report, feel free to request one – report writing is also $190 / hour.
How long will it take to see results?
It varies depending on the child. Like all things in life, improvement happens faster with more practice between sessions.
It usually takes 6-12 months to see changes in daily habits (outside of practice sessions). Small, achievable changes during practice sessions can usually start to be seen from the first session.
Will the activities be really hard for my child to do?
No. Although this is a very complex area, I strongly believe in giving your child the simplest possible instructions. Change will occur gently over time, and your child will only be asked to practice what they can easily achieve during our Zoom session.
What type of activities do you do?
Most of the activities will relate to chewing and swallowing.
It’s important to have a snack ready for your child to eat during the session. Biscuits like Tiny Teddies or Scotch fingers are a great texture for practicing new skills.
What will happen during the sessions?
Generally the sessions will follow this format:
Your first session will involve all of these steps, but it will also involve a lot of extra time for both you and Julianne to ask questions. It’s a good idea for your child to have something else to do during the first session while we are chatting.
Is there anything I should think about before the session?
Julianne will ask whether your child often has their mouth open while playing and/or sleeping. Most people don’t think about this until asked, so have a look before your session and see what you notice.
I am already seeing a speechie for something other than lisp or tongue thrust. How will that work?
You can receive treatment from the Telehealth Lisp clinic for your lisp and/or tongue thrust.
If you are seeing another speech pathologist for pronunciation of other speech sounds, or any other area (language, literacy, etc), you should keep seeing that speech pathologist for everything except your lisp / tongue thrust. Sometimes a couple of other sounds can be involved in the lisp, like /z/ and /sh/.
Flat Chat can provide feedback to your existing speech pathologist on the progress of the lisp / tongue thrust treatment if requested.
I am a speech pathologist treating a client with a lisp or tongue thrust, and we are not making progress. Can Flat Chat help me treat my client?
This is an important question that comes up a lot. Julianne has prepared an online 3-hour workshop to upskill speech pathologists interested in this area.
Information on session times and booking links.
If you prefer, you are welcome to refer your client to Flat Chat to treat the persistent lisp or tongue thrust. As this is only a lisp & tongue thrust clinic, any other areas of speech pathology treatment will remain your responsibility.
I am a speech pathologist and would like to chat about my specific client with Flat Chat. Can I do this?
Yes, Julianne can offer 1:1 professional mentoring sessions to other speech pathologists on request. Mentoring sessions are charged at $190/hour and it is recommended that you have a couple of minutes of video of your client eating and talking.
Mentoring sessions are only available to speech pathologists who have already completed a professional learning session on this topic, as it is too complex to teach in short sessions with individual speechies.