Speak & Write currently has availabilty!
St. Ives | Bondi Junction | Leichhardt | Telehealth
Watching your child work hard to be understood can be one of the toughest parts of parenting - and finding a therapy approach that actually moves the needle matters. ReST is one of the most well-researched treatments available for Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), and our team at Speak & Write is proud to offer it as an intensive telehealth block for families across Australia.
ReST (Rapid Syllable Transition Treatment) is an evidence-based therapy designed specifically for children with CAS. Rather than practising familiar words, your child will work with playful made-up words that let them focus purely on building new, accurate speech movements - without old habits getting in the way. Sessions target the accuracy of sounds, the rhythm and stress of words, and the smooth transitions between syllables, all at once.
ReST was developed through research at the University of Sydney and has a strong evidence base behind it, including studies showing that children continue to make gains for months after the program ends.
Evidence shows us that consistency and intensity make a real difference with CAS, which is why our ReST program runs as a focused block:
- 4 sessions a week, for 3 weeks (12 sessions in total)*
- Delivered entirely via telehealth, so your family can take part from home, wherever you are in Australia
- Led by our highly experienced Speak & Write speech pathologists, who bring specialist skill in motor speech therapy to every session
We can also complete the program as 3 sessions a week for 4 weeks or 2 sessions a week for 6 weeks, although the best practice is the above dosage. This intensive structure gives your child the repetition and momentum this therapy is built on.
ReST is best suited to children who:Have a confirmed diagnosis of Childhood Apraxia of SpeechAre aged between 4 and 15 yearsDon't have another diagnosis that would affect how well ReST works, such as dysarthria or stutteringEvery child is different, which is why suitability isn't something we guess at from a checklist alone.
Step 1 - Refer or reach out. Families can get in touch with us directly. Or, if your current speech pathologist has recommended ReST, they can complete our Referral Form on your behalf, including any details about the sounds you're already working on.
Step 2 - Eligibility Assessment Check. Before your child's block begins, our team will run our own Eligibility Assessment Check. This lets us confirm that ReST is an appropriate therapy approach for your child, as well as checking that telehealth is the right fit and set clear, individual targets for the block ahead.
Step 3 - Your child's ReST block. From there, your child will begin their intensive block with one of our experienced speech pathologists, working towards clearer, more confident speech.
We'll be in touch directly once we've received your details to talk through next steps and find a time that works for your family. We always complete intensive blocks in July and January, however, we can also complete blocks across the year.
Places in our July & January intensive blocks are limited. If you think ReST might be right for your child, we'd love to hear from you - reach out to our team or ask your current speech pathologist to complete a referral on your behalf.
