Even though Singapore is a small country, we have no lack of speech therapy services available. If your child is below 7 years old, the best starting place is at a hospital such as KKH and NUH. Both hospitals have a Child Development Unit which can provide assessments and therapy services for infants, children and adolescents. However, the key to note about therapy services at hospitals is that therapy services (non-swallowing/feeding cases) at hospitals are usually less frequent; taking place once every few months.
Community-Based Speech Therapy Services in Singapore
Unless your child’s issue is really mild, a more intensive schedule of therapy is usually required. The good thing is that there are community services out there that can provide weekly services for your child. Some community-based service providers you may like to consider are SPD, THK, AWWA, ExtraOrdinary People, DAS and Club Rainbow. KKH and NUH will be able to help you make a referral to the above community-based services.
The above-mentioned can provide weekly one-to-one services which can include assessment and intervention. These community-based services are usually subsidised by government funding and private donations. As a result, they are usually substantially cheaper than private practices. On top of that, families may be able to tap on financial aids to further lower their fees.
The downside to community-based services is that it may have a long wait-list. In addition, their locations are usually a little far from MRT stations, which may make access a little more difficult for families using public transport. Some of these services also have a cap to the number of sessions provided to each client. This can lead to long breaks in therapy for those children with more severe needs who require ongoing services.
Private Speech Therapy Services in Singapore
Aside from these community-based services, there are also private practices which provide assessments and therapies. In recent years, there are many new private speech therapy centres sprouting up, thus reducing the long wait list for many centres.
The downside to private practice is the cost, which can cost anywhere between $140-200 for a 45-minute session. However, many of these centres are located centrally or near MRT stations, making it a easy commute for families without cars. In addition, there is no limit to the number of sessions, so your child can continue to access services for as long as he needs.
In fact, some private practice also provide home-based therapy which makes it even more convenient for families in terms of transport and time. Another plus to home-based therapy is that it allows the speech therapist to utilise materials in the home-environment. Additionally, it gives the speech therapist the opportunity to work with other members of the family as well.
The Bottom-Line about Speech Therapy in Singapore
To sum it up, there is no lack of speech therapy options for families in Singapore. There are pros and cons to each type of service providers but regardless of which option you choose for your child, it will surely be better than waiting for your child to “outgrow” his speech or language issues.
