Thrive Speech, Language & Hearing

Our Services

Thrive Speech, Language and Hearing offers a comprehensive service, all in the one clinic. We provide hearing assessments, speech and language assessments and individualised therapy. We work with a broad range of people, from children to adults.

Hearing

Hearing loss is an invisible disability and can often go undetected. Even a mild loss can significantly impact a persons life. Many hearing losses are misinterpreted as poor behaviour, a delay in developing speech and language, inattention or literacy problems. A hearing loss can impact a persons performance in the classroom, in a work setting or in social environments. We have even heard that some people “just don’t listen”. Some don’t, however, some can’t. 
The degree of the impact of a hearing loss can depend on the age of onset, the severity of impairment and the type of loss. Some hearing losses are mild, some fluctuate, some resolve naturally, some require medical or surgical intervention while other types of hearing losses may degenerate. What we do know is that early detection provides the best opportunity for a person to develop to their full potential.

At Thrive Speech, Language and Hearing, we have the experience to assess paediatric to adult populations. Tests in our assessments (where appropriate) include:
• VROA (free field)
• Pure tone audiometry (air conduction, bone conduction and speech discrimination)
• Tympanometry
• Stapedial reflexes
• Electrophysiological testing
We also prescribe and fit hearing aids and BAHAs.

Speech

Articulation is the way we make sounds used in speech. For some people, it can be very difficult to make speech sounds. Sometimes it may only be one sound or in some cases it can be several. 
Sometimes people can make the correct sound, but use it in the incorrect part of a word. Or they are using an incorrect process to produce sounds. This is what is referred to as a phonological disorder. 
As a result of either an articulation or a phonological disorder, a person can be difficult to understand. They may become frustrated or they may withdraw. In any event, clear communication can be very difficult. 

Language

A language disorder can be categorised as a receptive disorder, expressive disorder or both.
• A receptive language disorder can make it difficult to understand the information “coming in”. In other words, what is being said and/or read. It refers to the way language is comprehended. 
• An expressive language disorder refers to the language (verbal or written) that is used to communicate an idea, thought, feeling or information. It is the message “going out”. 
A problem in either or both receptive and expressive language can have a huge impact on a persons life. A problem with language skills can impact on so many aspects of life. The most obvious are literacy and general academic performance but also social and emotional well being. Sometimes the language deficits are masked as poor behaviour, inattention or general cognitive delay. The only way to diagnose a language disorder is by a speech pathologist, using specialised tests.