Brisbane Paediatric Speech Pathologists for Feeding & Swallowing.

Our highly skilled Speech Pathologists are dedicated to the areas of infant feeding & swallowing and children with complex disabilities/dysphagia.

We have extensive experience in assisting babies and children with a wide variety of medical conditions through our many years of work in neonatal units and paediatric hospitals; and have expertise in conducting FEES & VFSS assessments.

Infant Feeding & Swallowing.

  • We can assess your baby’s oral skills and their ability to suck, swallow, and coordinate the movements necessary for effective feeding.

  • We can help to identify swallowing difficulties in infants. This may include issues with tongue movement, coordination, or difficulties managing different textures of food or liquids.

  • For infants experiencing difficulties with breastfeeding, we can address issues such as latch problems, tongue-tie concerns, overall feeding comfort, and concerns related to swallowing.

  • We can assess and assist with bottle feeding issues related to oromotor skills, swallowing, or specific equipment needs.

  • We can help your baby transition to different textures, ensuring they can manage a variety of foods as they progress in their feeding development.

  • We can support your goals around supplementing and mixed breast/bottle feeds, whatever they are and for whatever reason.

  • Infants with swallowing difficulties may be at risk of aspirating (inhaling) liquids or food into the airway. We can assess and find ways to minimise this risk, and optimise safe and efficient swallowing for your baby.

    We have expertise in the administration and interpretation of specialised instrumental swallowing assessments such as FEES (Fibre-endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing) and VFSS (Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study) for neonates and infants.

  • We can thoroughly assess the structure and function of your baby’s mouth - including any tongue, lip or other oral ties - and give unbiased guidance on appropriate intervention.

  • We can work with you and your baby to optimise their feeding skills, and assist with challenges related to oromotor, sensory or swallowing difficulties.

  • As your baby grows, we can assist in the transition to self-feeding, promoting independence and age-appropriate feeding skills.

  • We help identify the cause of breastfeeding or bottle feeding strikes or refusal and provide strategies to overcome these challenges.

  • We have decades of experience in optimising oral feeding alongside medically necessary tube feeding (NG or PEG).

    Our team members have supported many families through their tube feeding journeys, whether longer term or temporary use. If your baby or child has become dependent on tube feeding, talk to us about a tube weaning strategy.

  • Register your interest for our QLFS Education Days, or talk to us about tailoring small group training sessions to suit your needs.

REQUEST an APPOINTMENT

Feeding & Swallowing for Children with Complex Needs.

  • Eating and drinking is important for quality-of-life for many children and young people. 

    We can comprehensively assess your child’s eating and drinking skills and develop a mealtime management plan that optimises safety while respecting your child’s and family’s wishes and preferences around quality-of-life.  This may include assessment of oral motor function, clinical feeding evaluation, and assessment and management of aspiration risk.

    We have expertise in the administration and interpretation of instrumental swallowing assessments such as FEES (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing) and VFSS (Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study) for children and young people.

  • We can provide support to your child’s school, kindy or daycare providers to implement a mealtime management plan.  This includes consultation with providers, assessment of your child’s mealtime in the specified setting, and collaborative development of a mealtime management plan that optimises safety, recognises setting-specific mealtime challenges and respects the child’s and family’s preferences.  Training and coaching is also available for providers to support the implementation of the mealtime management plan.

  • Children with significant physical disabilities, chronic dysphagia and/or life-limiting conditions may benefit from consultation with a speech pathologist dedicated to practicing in complex dysphagia.  We can provide an additional layer of consultative support to families and primary treating speech pathologists, which may include joint assessment, collaborative problem solving and treatment recommendations.

  • We can provide supervision and mentoring for speech pathologists wanting to expand their clinical skills in complex dysphagia management and/or supporting children with complex medical or life-limiting conditions.

  • Small group teaching and training packages are available on a variety of clinical topics.  Please contact us to discuss your team’s training needs further. 

    Register for QLFS Education Days

Please contact us via this form to request an initial consultation for your child with complex disability / dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) aged 2-18 years. All of these initial consultations are completed via telehealth. During this appointment we will discuss your concerns & goals, and understand how we can best support your child and family further - whether a visit to home, school, hospice, or ongoing telehealth.

REQUEST A CONSULTATION

We are regularly assisting babies & children with a wide variety of medical conditions. These include (but aren’t limited to):

Airway Conditions: Laryngomalacia, tracheomalacia, bronchomalacia, tracheo-oesophageal fistula, vocal cord palsy.

Tracheostomy: Ventilated and non-ventilated.

Craniofacial Conditions: Cleft lip, cleft palate, Pierre Robin sequence, complex facial clefts, other conditions affecting the skull and face.

Respiratory Conditions: Apnoea, meconium aspiration, respiratory distress, transient tachypnoea, PPHN, lung conditions, cystic fibrosis, CNLD, other conditions requiring oxygen support.

Cardiac Conditions: VSD, PDA, coarctation of the aorta, hypoplastic arch, TGA, TOF, HLHS, pulmonary atresia, vascular rings, cardiomyopathy.

Gastrointestinal Conditions: Oesophageal atresia, tracheo-oesophageal fistula, pyloric stenosis, reflux/GORD, diaphragmatic hernia, gastroschisis.

Neurological Conditions: Hypoxic or traumatic brain injury, perinatal stroke, progressive neurological conditions, spinal muscular atrophy, seizure disorders, CCHS.

Genetic Conditions: Trisomy 21 / Down syndrome, 22q11 deletion, Rett syndrome, Prader Willi syndrome, and many other conditions.

Metabolic Conditions: including inborn errors of metabolism.

Life Limiting Conditions: including rare conditions resulting in complex medical needs.