Mid Ulster Private Speech Therapy

Mid Ulster Private Speech Therapy Speech and language therapy assessment and intervention for children aged 18 months to 12 years

You might look at this photo and see two parents just having a nice time but it’s so much more than that.After a week of...
06/10/2025

You might look at this photo and see two parents just having a nice time but it’s so much more than that.

After a week of potty training, teething, sickness, more teething, taking time off work, and almost no sleep, it was all starting to take its toll. When we got an offer of help, I said yes straight away.

A couple of hours to ourselves on a Saturday afternoon… what to do?

For some people it’s a walk, a coffee shop, a workout. For us this time, it was a quiet drink in our local bar — the same place we met 10 years ago 🤣. We were joined by my dad, sister, brother-in-law and a few family friends. We laughed, we talked about the kids (of course), but mostly we were just Sarah and Tom again.

And the next morning ( or rather the first wake up during the night).. I felt different. I was calm, patient, and somehow reset.

Does anyone else find that getting a break can feel overwhelming? You think, “How do I use this time? What’s on my to-do list?” But maybe, just sometimes, the best thing you can do is sit down for a quiet drink in McAleers. ❤️

06/10/2025

Occupational therapy helps children regulate so they can listen, connect, and fully benefit from other therapies.

Speech grows best when a child feels calm and secure. Occupational therapy helps organise the nervous system so children are ready to listen, play, and build communication skills.

For many children, the first step toward speaking isn’t practicing words..it’s helping their body feel regulated. Occupational therapy helps to build this foundation so speech and language therapy can be more successful.

I’m so lucky to work alongside amazing OT colleagues .talksensoryni

02/10/2025

Around the age of two, many toddlers begin to:
👀 look between you and what they’re playing with,
🤝 enjoy simple back-and-forth games,
🧸 show or share things that interest them,
👋 use gestures and at least 50 words to connect

Every child develops at their own pace but it may help to seek support if your child rarely looks to you, doesn’t show or share things, often doesn’t respond to their name, or shows little interest in simple turn-taking play.

The right guidance can make connection and learning easier. If you’re unsure, speaking with your GP, a speech and language therapist, or health visitor can help you know what to do next.

When Conor was three, his parents were told he needed speech and language therapy. They joined the waiting list and kept...
30/09/2025

When Conor was three, his parents were told he needed speech and language therapy. They joined the waiting list and kept practising words at home. Months turned into a year.

By the time Conor started school, he was shy about speaking. Other children talked easily; Conor stayed quiet. His parents felt helpless, knowing early help could have made a difference.

Waiting lists aren’t just numbers.. they’re precious moments slipping by. Unfortunately this is the reality for so many children.

Early intervention makes a real difference to children’s lives and 1 appointment can change everything.

If you have noticed your 2 or 3 year old is not talking as much as expected or something feels off, it is ok to trust yo...
30/09/2025

If you have noticed your 2 or 3 year old is not talking as much as expected or something feels off, it is ok to trust your instincts. Seeking help early can make a real difference in your child’s communication, confidence, and learning.

Why early action matters:
Children’s brains are developing quickly, and support during these years has the greatest impact.
Speech and language therapy can help build vocabulary, understanding, and social skills.
Families can learn everyday strategies to encourage communication.

Possible signs your child may need support:
• Fewer than 50 words by age 2
• Not combining words by 2½ to 3 years
• Difficulty following simple directions
• Frequent frustration when trying to communicate

You do not need to wait and see if things change on their own. Reaching out to a speech and language therapist or your child’s health visitor early can open the door to meaningful progress.

When we imagine motherhood, many of us picture a village.The reality is that support often looks very different from wha...
24/09/2025

When we imagine motherhood, many of us picture a village.
The reality is that support often looks very different from what we hoped for.

Let’s acknowledge the gap between expectation and reality, and how heavy that can feel. Many mums are carrying far more than they should have to.

If you’ve ever felt disappointed by the lack of family support, you’re not alone. Your feelings are valid, your work matters, and you deserve care too. 💛

I’m not gona lie.. it has BEEN a week.. Éabha’s one year injections , she really hasn’t settled since Changes to our chi...
18/09/2025

I’m not gona lie.. it has BEEN a week..

Éabha’s one year injections , she really hasn’t settled since

Changes to our childcare routine

Cillian has been dosed and the tantrums are on another level 🙃

I was so overwhelmed I canceled a Friday night event I was to attend tomorrow because I was overwhelmed and truth be told, my kids just need me.

I think that’s the part of motherhood that shocked me the most. Your needs just have to come second sometimes and actually that’s ok.

When parents pay for private speech therapy I have no doubt that money could be spent on a million other things but sometimes, our needs just come second.

And when we look back on these tough years I hope we’ll think: “I did it, I really did my absolute best.” ❤️

Pretend play is our favourite kind of speech therapy at the minuteAt the restaurant, Cillian says: ‘Mummy stirs soup.’ I...
17/09/2025

Pretend play is our favourite kind of speech therapy at the minute

At the restaurant, Cillian says: ‘Mummy stirs soup.’
In the rocket, he shouts: ‘We blast off!’
At the shop, it’s: ‘Cillian buys milk.’

He thinks it’s just a bit of fun, but every role play helps him practise clear little sentences. And honestly, I love it just as much as he does.

Life with a toddler and a baby means even a quick toilet break turns into a family event 😂. Parenting young children is ...
15/09/2025

Life with a toddler and a baby means even a quick toilet break turns into a family event 😂. Parenting young children is so full-on. The days are incredibly noisy, nights are often short, and sometimes the only minute’s peace is when the dishes are finally done before falling into bed.

I think back to my years in NHS clinics and realise how many parents I met who were in the thick of this. Without fully appreciating it at the time, I would hand over a 20-page programme on supporting their toddler’s language development. The research was sound, the strategies worked in theory but in practice, it wasn’t built around the realities of parenting. The exhaustion, the lack of headspace, the overstimulation.

Now, I approach things differently. That’s why I created the Toddler Talking Template: speech and language therapy that meets families where they really are. It starts with a one-hour assessment to understand your child’s needs and your family’s reality, followed by regular check-ins so you never feel like you’re navigating this alone.

If you’d like to explore whether it’s the right fit for your family, I offer a call first to talk it through.

🔗 https://stan.store/SpeechSpark (Also in bio)

Tomorrow my daughter turns one.This first year hasn’t always been the picture-perfect version I imagined. It’s been slee...
10/09/2025

Tomorrow my daughter turns one.

This first year hasn’t always been the picture-perfect version I imagined. It’s been sleepless nights, constant feeding, second-guessing myself, and a lot of tears. But it’s also been milestones that felt huge, belly laughs, and a kind of love that’s hard to explain.

If you’re in the middle of the first year, I see you! It’s hard and it’s beautiful all at once.

👉 What’s one thing you wish you knew before becoming a parent? Share it below, someone else might need to hear it!

Come join me on 30th August!! Completely free event just DM me your child’s name as limited places available!!
20/08/2025

Come join me on 30th August!!
Completely free event just DM me your child’s name as limited places available!!

Address

18-20 William Street
Dungannon
BT714

Opening Hours

Monday 5:15pm - 7pm
Tuesday 5:15pm - 7pm
Wednesday 5:30pm - 7pm
Friday 5:15pm - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 2pm

Telephone

+447729138010

Website

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