Parent-friendly therapy information
Your questions about child therapy, answered.
Clear and practical answers to common parent questions about speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, autism support and ABA therapy.
Parent Friendly
Simple answers without complicated clinical language.
Evidence-Informed
Focused on assessment, development and individual needs.
Child Centred
Every child's strengths, needs and progress are different.
Therapy Services
Find answers by service
Select the area you have questions about and explore the most common concerns parents have before, during and after therapy.
01
Speech & Language Therapy
Questions about speech delay, communication, pronunciation, language development and therapy.
View Speech FAQs →
02
Occupational Therapy
Learn about sensory needs, fine motor skills, handwriting, self-care and daily activities.
View OT FAQs →
03
Autism Support
Parent-friendly information about autism, developmental assessment and early support.
View Autism FAQs →
04
ABA Therapy
Understand ABA, therapy goals, sessions, parent involvement and individualised support.
View ABA FAQs →
Frequently Asked Questions
What would you like to know?
Search a question or choose a therapy category below.
Speech & Language Therapy
Communication, speech development and language concerns.
How do I know if my child may need speech therapy?
A speech and language evaluation may be helpful if you
notice ongoing difficulty with speaking clearly,
understanding language, using words or sentences,
communicating needs, interacting with others or
developing communication skills expected for your
child's age. A qualified speech-language professional
can assess your child's individual development.
What is the difference between speech and language?
Speech refers mainly to how sounds and
words are produced. Language refers to
understanding and using words, sentences and other forms
of communication to share ideas, needs and feelings.
A child can experience difficulty in one area or both.
Is late talking always a sign of a developmental disorder?
No. Children develop at different rates and late talking
can have several possible reasons. However, persistent
concerns should not simply be ignored. A professional
evaluation can help understand your child's communication
skills and determine whether monitoring or additional
support is recommended.
At what age should a child start talking?
Communication develops gradually through eye contact,
gestures, sounds, understanding and words. Developmental
milestones can provide guidance, but children do not all
develop at exactly the same pace. If you are concerned
about your child's communication at any age, discussing
it with a qualified professional is appropriate.
Can too much screen time affect language development?
Young children learn communication especially well
through responsive interaction with people. Excessive
passive screen use can reduce opportunities for talking,
playing and interacting. Parents can support language
development through conversation, shared play, reading,
singing and everyday routines.
What happens during a speech therapy session?
Sessions depend on the child's goals. Activities may
include play, picture-based activities, conversation,
sound practice, storytelling, language exercises and
parent coaching. For younger children, therapy often
looks like structured play while the therapist targets
specific communication skills.
How long will my child need speech therapy?
There is no single duration that applies to every child.
It depends on the type of communication difficulty,
severity, age, therapy goals, consistency of attendance,
home practice and how the child responds to intervention.
Progress should be reviewed regularly.
Should parents practice speech activities at home?
Yes. Short and consistent practice within everyday
activities can help children use new skills outside the
therapy room. Your therapist can show you appropriate
strategies for meals, playtime, books, outings and
other daily routines.
Can bilingualism cause speech delay?
Learning more than one language does not by itself cause
a language disorder. A bilingual child may distribute
vocabulary across languages. If there is a true language
difficulty, it is generally noticeable across the
languages the child uses. A professional familiar with
bilingual development can provide appropriate assessment.
When should I request a speech and language assessment?
Consider an assessment when communication difficulties
persist, interfere with daily life, cause frustration,
affect learning or social interaction, or when a parent,
teacher or healthcare professional has developmental
concerns. Parents do not need to wait until difficulties
become severe before seeking advice.
Occupational Therapy
Daily living, movement, sensory processing and independence.
What does occupational therapy help children with?
Paediatric occupational therapy can support skills needed
for everyday life, including dressing, eating, handwriting,
play, fine motor coordination, movement, attention,
sensory regulation and participation at home or school.
Therapy goals should be based on the child's individual
needs.
How do I know if my child may need occupational therapy?
An OT evaluation may be useful when difficulties with
fine motor skills, self-care, sensory experiences,
coordination, handwriting, play or daily routines are
consistently affecting participation and independence.
What are sensory processing difficulties?
Some children respond to sounds, touch, movement, smells,
tastes or other sensations differently from others.
They may appear very sensitive to certain sensations or
seek additional sensory input. An occupational therapist
can explore how these responses affect everyday activities
and recommend suitable supports.
Can occupational therapy help with handwriting?
Yes, when handwriting difficulty is related to skills such
as hand strength, pencil control, visual-motor coordination,
posture, motor planning or letter formation. The therapist
first identifies what is making writing difficult before
choosing activities.
Can OT help a child who struggles with dressing or feeding?
Occupational therapists can support many activities of
daily living, including dressing, using utensils and
participating in mealtime routines. Feeding concerns can
have different causes, so the therapist may recommend
additional medical or specialist evaluation when needed.
What happens in an occupational therapy session?
Sessions may use movement, play, obstacle courses,
fine-motor activities, sensory activities, self-care
practice and task-specific exercises. Activities are
selected according to the child's assessed goals rather
than using the same programme for every child.
Why does occupational therapy sometimes look like play?
Play is one of the main ways children learn. Therapists
can use carefully selected play activities to work on
coordination, attention, problem solving, strength,
motor planning, sensory regulation and independence
while keeping the child engaged.
Will parents receive activities to practice at home?
Often, yes. Your therapist may suggest practical strategies
that fit into normal routines rather than giving only
formal exercises. Consistency between therapy, home and
school can make it easier for children to use their skills
in everyday situations.
How long does occupational therapy take?
Therapy duration varies according to the child's needs,
goals and progress. Some children need short-term support
for a specific skill while others benefit from longer-term
intervention. Goals should be reviewed periodically and
adjusted as the child develops.
Can OT support children at school?
Occupational therapy can support skills that affect school
participation, such as sitting, handwriting, organising
materials, using classroom tools, sensory regulation and
completing daily school routines. Collaboration with
teachers can be useful when appropriate.
Autism
Development, assessment and supportive intervention.
What is autism?
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition associated with
differences in communication, social interaction,
behaviour, interests and sensory experiences. Autism is
a spectrum, which means autistic children can have very
different strengths, challenges and support needs.
What are some early signs parents may notice?
Parents may notice differences in areas such as social
communication, responding to name, gestures, shared
attention, language development, play, repetitive
behaviours, interests or sensory responses. One behaviour
alone does not diagnose autism. Developmental concerns
should be assessed in the context of the whole child.
Does speech delay mean my child has autism?
No. Speech delay can occur for many different reasons.
Autism is assessed using a broader pattern of development,
including social communication, interaction, behaviour,
play, interests and sensory characteristics. A
comprehensive evaluation is more informative than
relying on one symptom.
How is autism assessed?
Assessment may include developmental history, parent
interviews, direct observation and standardised
assessment tools. Depending on the child's needs,
professionals from different disciplines may contribute
information. The exact assessment process varies by
provider and clinical situation.
Should I wait and see if I am concerned about my child's development?
Parents can discuss developmental concerns whenever they
arise. Early evaluation does not automatically mean a
child will receive a diagnosis. It can help clarify
strengths, identify areas needing support and guide the
family on appropriate next steps.
Can therapy cure autism?
Autism is not an illness that therapy should aim to
"cure." Support is generally focused on helping the child
develop useful communication, daily living, learning,
regulation, participation and independence skills while
respecting their individual needs and differences.
Which therapies may be recommended for an autistic child?
Recommendations depend on the child's individual profile.
Support may involve speech and language therapy,
occupational therapy, behavioural intervention,
psychological support, educational intervention or
other services. Not every autistic child needs the
same combination of therapies.
Can autistic children learn to communicate?
Autistic children communicate in different ways and
communication development varies significantly between
individuals. Support may focus on spoken language,
gestures, pictures, communication devices or a
combination of methods depending on what works best for
the child.
Why is parent involvement important?
Parents know their child and daily routines extremely
well. Collaboration helps therapists choose meaningful
goals and helps children practise useful skills outside
the clinic. Parent coaching should support families
rather than place unrealistic pressure on them.
Are all autistic children the same?
No. Autism is a spectrum and every person has a unique
combination of strengths, preferences, communication
styles and support needs. Therapy and educational plans
should therefore be individualised rather than based only
on the diagnosis.
ABA Therapy
Behavioural learning, skills and parent involvement.
What is ABA therapy?
Applied Behaviour Analysis, commonly called ABA, uses
principles of learning and behaviour to understand why
behaviours occur and to teach useful skills. A programme
should be individualised around meaningful goals rather
than following the same plan for every child.
Is ABA therapy only for autistic children?
ABA principles can be used in different settings and with
people who have different learning or behavioural needs.
It is commonly associated with autism intervention, but
whether ABA is suitable should depend on an individual
assessment and meaningful goals.
What skills can be addressed in ABA?
Goals may include communication, following daily routines,
play, social participation, independence, self-care,
learning readiness and reducing behaviours that interfere
with safety or meaningful participation. Goals should be
selected according to the child's needs and family's
priorities.
What happens during an ABA session?
Sessions can include structured learning as well as
natural play and everyday activities. The therapist may
break a skill into manageable steps, provide practice,
reinforce progress and collect information to understand
whether the teaching approach is working.
How are ABA therapy goals decided?
Goals should be based on assessment, observation,
developmental priorities and discussion with the family.
Useful goals focus on skills that improve the child's
communication, independence, safety, learning or quality
of daily life.
How do therapists track progress in ABA?
Therapists may record information about targeted skills
and behaviours during sessions. Reviewing this data can
help determine whether the intervention is effective and
whether teaching strategies or goals need to be adjusted.
How long does a child need ABA therapy?
The frequency and duration of intervention should depend
on the child's assessed needs, goals, progress, family
circumstances and other services the child receives.
Treatment intensity should be reviewed rather than
automatically remaining the same indefinitely.
Are parents involved in ABA therapy?
Parent involvement can be very valuable. Therapists may
explain strategies that parents can use naturally at
home and discuss which goals are most relevant to daily
family life. Families should also be able to ask questions
and participate in treatment planning.
Is ABA supposed to stop harmless autistic behaviours?
Intervention should prioritise meaningful areas such as
communication, safety, independence and participation.
Behaviours that are harmless and help a child regulate
should not automatically become treatment targets simply
because they look different. Goals should respect the
child's dignity and wellbeing.
How will I know whether ABA is helping my child?
Progress should be connected to meaningful functional
changes, such as communicating more effectively, becoming
more independent or participating more successfully in
everyday activities. Therapists should review progress
with parents and update goals when necessary.
We couldn't find a matching FAQ.
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For Parents
Not sure which service your child needs?
You do not have to decide the therapy yourself. A developmental or clinical assessment can help identify your child's strengths, concerns and the most appropriate next steps.
✓
Start with your concerns
Note what you are seeing at home, school, playtime or during daily routines.
✓
Complete an appropriate assessment
Assessment helps professionals understand your child's individual strengths and needs.
✓
Discuss therapy recommendations
Not every child requires the same therapy, frequency or combination of services.
✓
Review progress regularly
Therapy goals can change as your child learns, develops and becomes more independent.
Still have questions about your child's development?
Speak with our team about your concerns and find out which professional or assessment may be appropriate for your child.
Talk to Our Team
Important:
The information on this website is for general educational
purposes only and is not a diagnosis or a substitute for
individual medical, developmental or therapeutic assessment.
Development varies between children. If you have concerns
about your child's development, communication, behaviour,
movement or daily functioning, speak with an appropriately
qualified healthcare professional.