Children's speech and language therapy
Contact
- Outpatients appointments
- 020 3313 4727
Visitor Information
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Specialist paediatric speech and language therapists work with infants and children on our wards with feeding and swallowing difficulties.
We provide evidence-based specialist assessment, treatment and advice to parents/carers of infants and children with eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in a multidisciplinary clinical setting.
Referrals are accepted from consultants within the Trust or a member of the multidisciplinary team.
Our therapists work with inpatients on our paediatric wards and in our paediatric and neonatal intensive care units at Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea and St Mary’s hospitals.
In addition, a small specialist outpatient service is offered for infants and children with feeding and swallowing difficulties and their families. This includes a paediatric videofluoroscopy clinic at St Mary's Hospital and a multidisciplinary feeding clinic at Hammersmith Hospital.
Occasionally children may be seen at home when it is best practice to assess feeding behaviour in their own surroundings.
We work hard to promote a positive feeding experience for the infant/child and parent/carer, support oral feeding development and promote growth.
Additional information
Clinics
Multidisciplinary feeding clinic, Hammersmith Hospital
Speech and language therapy, dietetics and clinical psychology
Children's outpatient department
Ground floor, D block
Hammersmith Hospital
Du Cane Road
London W12 0HS
Hours: Tuesdays 09.00 to 12.00
Contact:
Therapists: 020 3313 5802
annie.aloysius@nhs.net, kristy.o'connor@nhs.net
Dietetics: 020 3313 35805
Clinical psychology: 020 3313 2472
Speech and language therapy outpatient clinics, St Mary's Hospital
Sixth floor, QEQM building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY
Accessible via South Wharf Road
Paediatric videofluoroscopy clinic, St Mary's Hospital
Imaging department, third floor
QEQM building
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY
Contact:
020 3312 6938 / 6092
sandra.grosso@nhs.net, kristy.o'connor@nhs.net
Meet the team
Speech and language specialists
Sandra Grosso – Clinical service lead (paediatrics and paediatric acute)
Annie Aloysius – Clinical specialist (neonatology)
Kristy O’Connor – Specialist therapist (paediatrics and neonatology)
Patient information
Before your appointment
Inpatients are seen within 2 working days. Outpatients are seen within 4 weeks. Parents, carers, or close family members are welcome.
You will receive any prep details in your appointment letter.
During your appointment
Attend the children's outpatients at the relevant site. Appointments last up to 60 minutes; multidisciplinary feeding clinic appointments are 90 minutes.
The therapist will take a feeding and development history and may observe your child eating/drinking.
In the multidisciplinary clinic, you’ll see a dietitian, psychologist and speech therapist. The team supports families with complex feeding concerns like weaning, choking or faltering growth.
A videofluoroscopy swallow study may be recommended. This x-ray test helps assess swallowing function and you’ll receive further details in your appointment letter.
Results are shared immediately after the test, where possible. If not, you will be contacted later.
Patient information leaflets:
Referrals
GP referrals
Referrals to the Children’s sleep service should be made through NHS e-Referrals under:
Paediatrics | Paediatric respiratory sleep TRIAGE | St Mary’s | Imperial NHS Trust | RYJ
External referrals
We do not accept direct GP referrals for speech and language therapy feeding assessment.
Secondary care referrals
Referrals are accepted from community paediatricians, neonatologists, hospital paediatricians and speech and language therapists from other hospitals.
Please contact the department – details can be found here.
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