What is a mealtime management assessment? 

A mealtime management assessment is completed by a clinician (often a Speech Pathologist, and sometimes in collaboration with Occupational Therapy depending on the presentation). It typically involves:

• a detailed history of current concerns and goals

• observation of eating/drinking (where appropriate and safe)

• review of relevant medical background and current supports

• identification of factors impacting mealtime safety and participation (e.g., fatigue, posture, sensory needs, pacing, textures)

• recommendations and strategies tailored to the person and their environment

In some cases, we may recommend referral to your GP/specialist or further medical investigation if indicated.

What is a Mealtime Management Plan? 

A Mealtime Management Plan is a clear, written guide that can be shared with carers, educators, support workers, or family. Plans may include:

• recommended food/fluid textures (where clinically appropriate)

• positioning and postural supports

• pacing, cueing and supervision recommendations

• safe swallowing strategies

• sensory and behavioural supports to improve participation

• environmental setup suggestions (e.g., distractions, seating, routines)

• risk considerations and when to stop a meal / seek help

We aim to keep plans easy to follow—with practical steps that fit real-life routines.

Who can benefit?

Feeding & Swallowing assessments and plans may help:

Children with feeding challenges, sensory-based preferences, limited food range, or mealtime distress

Adults with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), neurological conditions, or post-illness deconditioning

Older adults experiencing coughing/choking risk, fatigue, reduced appetite, or swallowing changes

People with disability who need consistent, safe mealtime strategies across settings

Funding & referrals

We welcome a range of funding pathways and can help you understand the best option for your situation.

We see clients using:

Private (self-funded)

NDIS (self-managed and plan-managed)

Aged Care / Home Care Packages

Medicare (where eligible, with a GP referral)

DVA (eligible veterans)

Other funding pathways (e.g., insurers or schemes, where applicable)

Where clinically appropriate, we can provide supporting documentation to inform service planning and care coordination.

Speech Therapy Services in Perth for Children & Adults

Speech Therapy (also called Speech Pathology) focuses on assessing, diagnosing, and treating communication and swallowing difficulties. At Palms Physiotherapy & Allied Health, our speech pathologists support children, teens, and adults to improve speech clarity, language skills, social communication, voice and fluency and swallowing safety.

How Can Speech Therapy Help You?

Speech therapy can help with a wide range of concerns, including:

• Speech delays in children: Supporting speech sound development, clarity, and age-appropriate communication.

• Speech sound disorders: Including articulation (sound production) and phonological (sound patterns) difficulties.

•  Language disorders: Helping with both receptive language (understanding) and expressive language (using words and sentences).

• Swallowing and feeding difficulties (dysphagia): Supporting people who have difficulty swallowing safely due to conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury, or neurological conditions.

• Social communication differences: Supporting conversational skills, turn-taking, perspective-taking, and understanding non-verbal communication.

•  Stuttering and fluency disorders: Helping clients manage fluency, reduce effort/tension, and build confidence in communication.

Speech Therapy Services We Provide

Paediatric Speech Therapy

• Paediatric speech therapy supports children with speech, language, communication, and early literacy needs using evidence-based and child-friendly approaches. Sessions may be play-based (especially for younger children), while still being structured and goal-directed.

• Common areas we support include:

  1. Speech sound development (clarity and intelligibility)

  2. Language delays and developmental language disorder

  3. Social communication support

  4. AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) where appropriate

  5. Early literacy foundations (e.g., phonological awareness)

Adult Speech Therapy

• Adult speech therapy supports adults with communication and swallowing needs related to neurological conditions, injury, medical events, or age-related changes. Therapy is practical, functional, and designed around everyday participation (home, work, community).

• Common areas we support include:

  1. Communication changes after stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or neurological illness

  2. Dysarthria and motor speech changes

  3. Cognitive-communication difficulties (attention, memory, organisation impacting communication)

  4. Voice therapy where indicated

  5. Dysphagia support and mealtime strategies

NDIS Speech Therapy Services

• NDIS speech therapy is available for self-managed and plan-managed participants. Therapy may focus on functional communication goals, speech clarity, social interaction and participation, and AAC support where required. We collaborate with participants, families, support coordinators, schools, and relevant providers to support practical, meaningful outcomes.

Speech Therapy for Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)

• Dysphagia (swallowing) support helps when swallowing difficulties affect hydration, nutrition, safety and confidence with eating and drinking. Our speech pathologists can complete clinical assessments (as appropriate), provide strategies for safer swallowing, recommend targeted exercises when indicated, and support shared-care referral pathways with GPs/ENT/medical teams when needed.

• Why Choose Palms Physiotherapy & Allied Health for Speech Therapy?

• Experienced Speech Pathologists: Skilled in paediatric and adult communication and swallowing support.

• NDIS Provider (self- and plan-managed): Therapy is aligned to participant goals and everyday function.

• Family-Centred Approach: We involve parents, carers, and supports where appropriate so strategies carry over into real life.

• Collaborative, Multidisciplinary Care: We work alongside our broader allied health team when integrated support is beneficial.

Sensory Room and Kids Therapy Gym

• Our sensory room and kids therapy gym can support therapy goals through a motivating, functional environment—particularly helpful for children who benefit from movement-based learning and sensory regulation strategies. These spaces may be used when clinically relevant to support engagement, attention, participation, and goal progress.

Locations

• We offer speech pathology services in Perth, including our Malaga and Noranda clinics.

Signs you should seek urgent medical advice

Please seek urgent medical review if you notice any new or worsening:

frequent coughing/choking during meals or drinks

wet/gurgly voice after swallowing

recurrent chest infections or suspected aspiration

significant weight loss, dehydration, or inability to maintain intake

sudden change in swallow function, weakness, or breathing issues

In an emergency - pelase call 000.

Speech Therapy – What We Can Help With

Speech pathologists (speech therapists) support children and adults with a wide range of speech, language, voice, fluency, and swallowing needs. Below is a practical overview of the common areas we assess and treat at Palms.

Speech Sound & Motor Speech

• Articulation Disorders: Difficulty producing specific speech sounds clearly (e.g., /s/, /r/, /l/).

• Phonological Disorders: Patterns/rules of sound errors that reduce intelligibility (e.g., fronting, final consonant deletion).

• Apraxia of Speech: Motor planning/programming difficulty; speech errors may be inconsistent and speech can sound “choppy.”

• Dysarthria: Speech changes due to weakness, tone or coordination differences affecting speech muscles.

Language

• Expressive Language Disorder: Difficulty using words/sentences to share ideas, tell stories, ask questions, or use grammar accurately.

• Receptive Language Disorder: Difficulty understanding spoken/written language, following instructions, or processing complex language.

• Mixed Expressive–Receptive Language Disorder: Difficulties with both understanding and expressing language.

• Developmental Delays: Support when speech and language milestones are developing more slowly than expected.

• Aphasia: Language difficulty often after stroke/brain injury, affecting speaking, understanding, reading and/or writing.

Voice

• Hoarseness or Strained Voice: Raspy, breathy, strained or unreliable voice; can relate to vocal load, inflammation, reflux, or vocal fold changes.

• Vocal Cord Paralysis: One or both vocal folds do not move normally, impacting voice, breathing and/or swallowing.

• Resonance Disorders: Speech that sounds overly nasal or “blocked”; may be structural, neuromuscular and/or learned.

• Gender Affirming Voice and Speech Therapy: Support to align voice and communication with gender identity using safe, evidence-based voice techniques.

• Psychogenic Voice Disorders and Conversion Disorder: Voice changes linked to psychological factors; therapy supports voice recovery and functional communication.

Fluency

• Stuttering: Disruptions to speech flow (repetitions, prolongations, blocks) that can impact confidence and participation.

• Cluttering: Fast or irregular speech rate that can reduce clarity and organisation of spoken messages.

Social Communication

•  Pragmatic Language Disorder: Support for conversation skills, turn-taking, topic maintenance, inference, and interpreting non-verbal cues.

Swallowing & Feeding

• Dysphagia (Swallowing Disorders): Assessment and strategies to support safe swallowing and reduce aspiration risk (often alongside GP/ENT/medical teams when needed).

Hearing & Listening

• Hearing Impairments: Therapy to support listening, speech clarity, language development, and communication strategies in partnership with audiology where required.

Neurological Conditions

• Speech Therapy for Neurological Conditions: Communication and swallowing rehabilitation for stroke, TBI, Parkinson’s disease, MS, dementia and other neurological conditions.

Early Literacy & Phonological Awareness

• Phonological Awareness: Therapy targeting sound awareness skills that underpin reading/spelling (rhyming, blending, segmenting, manipulation).

Post-Surgical Head & Neck Rehab

• Post‑Surgical Rehabilitation for Laryngectomy and Head and Neck Cancer: Multidisciplinary support for communication, swallowing and function after surgery/treatment (in shared care with your treating team).

Mealtime Management FAQ

What’s the difference between a mealtime assessment and a mealtime management plan?

A mealtime assessment is the session (or sessions) where we gather history, observe mealtimes where appropriate, and identify what’s impacting safety and participation.
A mealtime management plan is the written guide produced from the assessment—clear strategies and recommendations that carers/support staff can follow consistently.

Is mealtime management the same as a swallowing assessment?

Sometimes, but not always. Mealtime management can cover feeding skills, routines, sensory factors, pacing, supervision and environment. A swallowing assessment focuses more specifically on swallow safety and signs of dysphagia. We’ll recommend the most appropriate approach based on your concerns.

Do you do IDDSI texture recommendations?

Where clinically appropriate, our Speech Pathologists can provide guidance on textures and strategies. Recommendations depend on assessment findings and may require additional medical input if there are higher-risk swallowing concerns.

Can you assess my child at school or daycare?

In many cases, yes—school/daycare consults may be arranged where appropriate and with consent. Sometimes a clinic or home assessment is best first, then we can support carryover into the school setting.

Can this be done via telehealth?

Telehealth can be suitable for education, coaching, caregiver training, and some follow-up sessions. If we need direct observation of eating/drinking or hands-on setup support, in-person assessment may be recommended.

How long does an assessment take?

This varies depending on complexity and tolerance. Many initial assessments are 60–90 minutes, and some people require more than one appointment (e.g. fatigue, multiple settings, or additional information needed).

What should I bring to the appointment?

If possible, bring:

any recent reports (medical, therapy, discharge summaries)

current mealtime routines and concerns (what’s working / what isn’t)

relevant equipment (cups, utensils, seating supports)

a list of foods/drinks that are easiest vs hardest
For children, it can help to bring familiar preferred foods (if appropriate).

Will you liaise with our support team?

With consent, yes. We can liaise with relevant people such as support coordinators, support workers, schools, carers, GPs and other treating clinicians to support consistent implementation.

What are red flags that need urgent medical review?

Seek urgent medical advice if there is frequent coughing/choking, a wet/gurgly voice after swallowing, breathing changes, recurrent chest infections, or sudden deterioration in swallowing or health.

Can you provide documentation for funding or care planning?

Yes—where clinically appropriate, we can provide written plans and supporting documentation to inform care planning and service provision. Final approvals and funding decisions sit with the relevant funding body.

Important disclaimer: This webpage contains general information only and is not intended to be relied upon as personal clinical advice. While we aim to keep information accurate and up to date, it may not reflect the most current research or your individual circumstances. Palms Physiotherapy & Allied Health does not accept liability for decisions made based on this information without an individualised assessment by an appropriately qualified health professional. If you have concerns, please contact us to book an assessment or speak with your GP/medical team.