Celebrating our Speech Language Therapists

This Speech Language Therapy Awareness Week (14–20 September), we’re celebrating the Speech Language Therapists (SLTs) at The Hearing House and the important role they play in supporting kiritaki/clients and whānau to communicate, connect and participate with confidence.

At The Hearing House, our SLTs have a particular focus on supporting communication for people with cochlear implants. They work alongside kiritaki/clients, whānau and the wider clinical team to understand individual strengths and needs, and help build skills that are meaningful in everyday life.

Supporting communication at every age

For children, our SLTs assess and track development across listening, speech, language and communication. This information helps the clinical team understand how a child is progressing and, where appropriate, can contribute to decisions around their cochlear implant programming.

Therapy is personalised to each child and their stage of development. It can include listening, language and speech skills, cognition, early social communication, confidence and self-advocacy. Our SLTs also work closely with parents and whānau, sharing practical strategies they can use at home, at school and in everyday situations.

For adults, support may include auditory rehabilitation, helping people adjust to a new way of hearing and strengthen communication skills for everyday situations. This might include recognising and understanding speech, using communication strategies and building confidence in different environments.

Communication in all its forms

Every person’s communication journey is different. For some, cochlear implants and listening are a significant part of how they communicate, while others may use a combination of spoken language, NZSL, visual communication or other approaches.

Our SLTs work with each kiritaki/client and whānau to support the communication goals that matter to them, helping people express themselves, participate in their communities and connect with the people around them.

We’re incredibly grateful to our amazing Speech Language Therapists for the expertise, care and encouragement they bring to kiritaki/clients and whānau every day. 💙