Paediatric speech pathologist
About Mary
Mary Speirs is an experienced paediatric speech pathologist who has worked with children and families for many years.
She takes time to understand the whole child, not simply their assessment scores.
Her reports describe the child’s strengths, difficulties and everyday functioning, with recommendations that are clear, realistic and relevant.
Her many years working alongside occupational therapists, paediatricians, psychologists, educators and other health professionals have contributed to this broader understanding. Mary aims to provide families with clear explanations, practical guidance and realistic next steps.
Support is individualised and may involve working directly with the child, guiding parents, liaising with school or recommending further assessment where needed.
Areas of experience
Mary works with children from toddlerhood through adolescence. Her areas of experience include:
Speech sound difficulties
Receptive and expressive language difficulties
Reading, spelling and written language
Stuttering
Social communication
Autism-related assessment
Recognising subtle difficulties
Mary has extensive experience assessing children whose difficulties may be subtle, including children with strong language skills, autistic girls and children who appear to cope in structured settings but experience significant difficulty at home.
She also considers how communication may be affected by:
attention and executive functioning
sensory needs
emotional regulation
anxiety
learning demands
the expectations of home, school and friendships
Mary provides services in Bendigo and Central Victoria, and in Keilor in Melbourne’s north-west, subject to availability.
Ready to get in touch?
Contact Mary with a brief description of your concerns, your child’s age and your preferred location.