Paediatric feeding therapy
Breast, bottle and solid feeding for newborns and infants. Sensory feeding difficulties. Transition from tube feeding. A specialist area few general speech clinics cover.
— Paediatric speech pathology · Burwood, Sydney
Helping Inner West kids feed, talk and read since 1997
A specialist clinic run by Sarah Starr, CPSP, supported by five qualified speech pathologists. Feeding, articulation, late talkers, stuttering, literacy and AAC — all under one roof.
Led by
Sarah Starr, CPSP
Director · 30+ years
By the numbers
Established 1997. Still family-run. Still in the same place.
A small, stable team that's grown up alongside the families we treat.
28 years
specialist paediatric practice in Burwood
6 clinicians
qualified speech pathologists on the team
30+ years
clinical experience from our director, Sarah Starr
4 pathways
funding routes: NDIS, Medicare, Private Health, Self-funded
What we help with
Specialist support for the full paediatric picture
Most clinics cover speech and language. We also work across feeding, literacy, and complex communication — so families rarely have to look anywhere else.
Articulation and phonology
For children who can't say specific sounds clearly, or whose sound errors follow a pattern. Assessment with one of our pathologists, then evidence-based therapy paced to your child.
Late talkers and language delay
Receptive and expressive language support from toddlers through school age. For under-fours we often use the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk parent-coaching approach.
Stuttering (Lidcombe Program)
Evidence-based treatment for pre-school and school-age children who stutter. Lidcombe is the gold standard for children under six, delivered weekly with clear outcome tracking.
Literacy support
For children struggling with reading, spelling or written language. Structured-literacy methods (MSL, Sounds-Write) — systematic phonics, not guessing — working alongside schools where relevant.
Augmentative & alternative communication (AAC)
Communication devices, picture systems and key word sign for children with complex communication needs. Led by Sarah MacMillan.
Not sure which service you need?
Talk to us first. We'll tell you honestly whether an assessment is the right next step.
How we work
Named methods, not "evidence-based" as a label
Every qualified speech pathologist practises evidence-based therapy — it's the baseline, not a differentiator. What matters is which frameworks we use and how well we use them. Three that sit at the core of our work:
For pre-school stuttering
Lidcombe Program
A structured, parent-delivered treatment developed at the University of Sydney for children under six who stutter. Weekly clinic sessions with ongoing measurement of stuttering frequency — one of the best-evidenced paediatric SP treatments in the world.
For late talkers 18 months – 5 years
Hanen — It Takes Two to Talk
Parent-coaching program delivered over eight group sessions plus individual video-feedback. The therapist coaches the parent, not just the child — because that's where the language learning actually happens.
MSL · Sounds-Write
Structured literacy
For reading and spelling difficulties. Multisensory Structured Language and Sounds-Write are explicit, systematic phonics approaches — the evidence favours them strongly for children who haven't caught on to reading through whole-language instruction.
We also deliver PROMPT-influenced motor-speech therapy, functional AAC (led by Sarah MacMillan), and case-by-case combinations where a child's profile calls for it.
What happens next
A first appointment, without the guesswork.
- 01
Get in touch
Call or email us with a short description of what you're noticing. We'll let you know if a speech pathology assessment is the right next step, and which funding pathway applies to your family.
- 02
Initial assessment
Your child meets one of our pathologists for a one-on-one session at our Burwood clinic. Sessions are play-based and paced to your child — no rushed checklists, no forced performance.
- 03
A plan that fits your family
You'll receive a written assessment with clear recommendations and, if therapy is the next step, a session frequency and goal framework. If therapy isn't the next step, we'll say so.
- 04
Ongoing support
Regular sessions with the same clinician where possible, with progress reviewed at sensible intervals — not arbitrary rebooking cycles.
Common questions
Questions we hear from parents
Still unsure? A short call is often enough to point you in the right direction — booking not required.
How long is the wait for an initial assessment?
We're currently accepting new clients across most services. Paediatric feeding assessments tend to have the shortest wait. Call with a short description of what you're seeing and we'll give you a realistic timeframe — if we can't see you soon enough, we'll tell you and point you elsewhere.
Do you accept NDIS, Medicare and private health funds?
Yes. For NDIS we work with all three plan types — agency-managed, plan-managed and self-managed. Medicare applies via a Chronic Disease Management plan from your GP (up to five sessions per year across all allied health combined, with a Medicare rebate towards the cost). We're also registered with the major private health funds; your rebate depends on your cover.
My child is only a few weeks old — is it too early to come in?
Not at all. We regularly assess newborns and young infants, particularly for feeding concerns. Early support often leads to better outcomes, and there is no "too early" to raise a concern.
What's the difference between a speech delay and a disorder?
A delay means your child is developing in the expected pattern, just later than typical. A disorder means the pattern itself is atypical. Only a qualified speech pathologist can tell the difference — which is exactly what an initial assessment is for.
What methods or approaches do you use?
We use named, evidence-based frameworks rather than "a bit of everything". For stuttering under six we use the Lidcombe Program. For late talkers we often deliver the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk parent-coaching program. For literacy we use structured-literacy methods (MSL and Sounds-Write). For AAC we combine assessment-based device trialling with family coaching.
Do you see families from non-English-speaking backgrounds?
Yes. Burwood is one of Sydney's most multicultural suburbs, and we work with families from a wide range of language and cultural backgrounds every day. Bilingualism is not a speech problem — we'll explain what is and isn't relevant to your child's development.
Can I ask a question before booking?
Always. Call us on (02) 9745 5133 or email admin@speechpathologyservices.com.au with what's on your mind. A short conversation often clears things up without needing an appointment at all.
We're here to help
Not sure whether your child
Not sure whether your child
needs to be seen?
That's the right reason to call. A short chat with one of our team is free, and we'll tell you honestly whether an assessment is the next step.
Currently accepting new clients
Monday to Friday · 9am – 5pm · Suite 18, Level 7, 74–76 Burwood Road, Burwood NSW