The Speech Pathology Department provides diagnostic and therapeutic services to children with a range of feeding and communication problems, who attend John Hunter Children’s Hospital as inpatients and as outpatients.

The Speech Pathology team provides an inpatient service to paediatric wards at the Hospital, including general medical and surgical wards, oncology, adolescents, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), and paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at John Hunter Children’s Hospital. Assessment and treatment of speech, language, and swallowing disorders is provided for acute and rehabilitation patients.

The team also provides an outpatient service to the following specialised client groups:

• Children 0-18 years from northern NSW presenting with cleft lip / palate and velopharyngeal disorders. This is a Tertiary referral consultative service.
• Children with complex dysphagia requiring specialist consultative and therapeutic services. May include multidisciplinary feeding clinics or individual treatment.
• Children with acquired neurological problems, including acquired brain injury (ABI)
• A Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS) service is provided by the Speech Pathology Department in conjunction with the Radiology Department.
• A Palatal Videofluoroscopy (PVF) procedure is also offered to children with velopharyngeal incompetence (VPI). This is a specialist diagnostic procedure conducted in conjunction with the Paediatric Radiologist.