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With Dr Lauren Crumlish (PhD) Stuttering therapy by video, Australia wide, with Dr Lauren Crumlish (PhD), Certified Practising Speech Pathologist
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Dr Lauren Crumlish PhD, Certified Practising Speech Pathologist

Therapy

By age

Guides

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Stuttering speech therapy for children and teenagers

One Clinician, By Video, Matched To Your Child's Age

Stuttering speech therapy with Dr Lauren Crumlish (PhD), Certified Practising Speech Pathologist. Every session is by video (telehealth), Australia wide, for children and teenagers up to 18.

  • The Lidcombe Program for children under 6
  • A plan matched to your child's age
  • Dr Lauren leads every session and shows you each step
Apply Now

A parent or guardian applies.

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Start With Your Child's Age

Stuttering Therapy Changes As A Child Grows

Speech therapy for stuttering, which some families and reports call stammering, is not the same at 3 as it is at 13. The treatment with the best evidence, and how Dr Lauren works with your child, both change with age.

Stuttering in children: all ages compared
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Wait Or Act

Should We Wait, Or Get Help Now?

Some children do stop stuttering without treatment, but nobody can tell in advance which children will. Australian stuttering researchers advise starting treatment soon after stuttering begins, so asking for an assessment is a reasonable step and not an overreaction.

When To Worry About Stuttering
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How It Works

How Stuttering Therapy Works With Dr Lauren

Five steps, the same for every family. What happens inside them depends on your child's age.

  1. Apply

    A parent or guardian fills in the application. Our team will review it. A place is not guaranteed.

  2. An assessment by video

    Every family starts with an initial assessment. It looks at your child's stuttering and its history, and ends with a recommendation.

  3. A plan matched to age

    Dr Lauren sets the goals and the plan. For children under 6 that is usually the Lidcombe Program. For school-aged children and teenagers she works with your child directly, following what research supports at that age.

  4. Regular sessions with Dr Lauren

    Dr Lauren runs regular sessions, typically weekly, measures progress and adjusts the plan. In between, younger children do a short practice each day with a parent, as she has shown you. Teenagers do their own practice.

  5. Fewer sessions later

    In the Lidcombe Program, sessions are weekly at first. Once stuttering has stayed very low for several weeks, Dr Lauren decides when sessions become less frequent and withdraws the program gradually while your child's speech holds.

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For Children Under 6

The Lidcombe Program

The Lidcombe Program is a stuttering treatment developed in Australia for children younger than 6. Dr Lauren uses it with young children who stutter. She sees your child in regular sessions, typically weekly, where she measures the stuttering, sets the goals for the week and decides when to move on. In between, a parent does a short practice each day and praises smooth talk, in the way Dr Lauren has shown them and checks each week. Read the Lidcombe Program, step by step for the full walk-through.

  • Developed for children younger than 6, and suitable for some older children

  • Led by Dr Lauren in regular sessions, with a short daily practice she shows you

  • Children are not asked to change the way they talk

  • Its evidence base is confirmed by 11 independent reviews

The Lidcombe Program

Why By Video

Why Every Session Is By Video

Dr Lauren runs every session by video: she assesses your child's talking, checks progress against the week before and decides what comes next, with your child playing and talking at home with their own toys and books. She shows you the short daily practice step by step and checks it each week. The Lidcombe Program's treatment guide reports clinical trials showing the program is effective when the speech pathologist's part is given by video. See how stuttering therapy works by video for the detail.

Online Stuttering Therapy
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A woman with long, brown hair stands indoors against a plain wall and a plant. She is wearing a sleeveless red top and gesturing with her hands.
Dr Lauren Crumlish, in a red top, speaks to the camera with a bright, surprised expression. A plant is in the background.
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Dr Lauren Crumlish smiling in front of hexagonal shelves with toys and decor; wearing a sleeveless polka dot blouse.

Your Clinician

Dr Lauren Crumlish, Certified Practising Speech Pathologist

Dr Lauren Crumlish is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with a PhD from The University of Queensland. She treats stuttering in children and teenagers and uses the Lidcombe Program. Dr Lauren is a speech pathologist, not a medical doctor. She works with a small number of families and has limited availability. Read more about Dr Lauren and her published research.

  • PhD in Speech Pathology, The University of Queensland (UQ)
  • 2024 Dean’s Award for Outstanding Higher Degree by Research Theses
  • Certified Practising Speech Pathologist (CPSP)
About Dr Lauren

Fees

What Stuttering Therapy Costs

Sessions are $193. The first step is an initial assessment, from $590. Medicare rebates are available with a doctor's referral. The practice is not NDIS registered: self-managed and plan-managed participants are welcome; NDIA-managed funding cannot be used.

Therapy

Treatment Session

One hour of service: 45 minutes of therapy and 15 minutes of preparation and notes

$193

Apply Now

Initial assessments

  • $590

    Short Assessment

    The shortest of the three initial assessments

  • $890

    Mid-Length Assessment

    A longer initial assessment

  • $1,290

    Long Assessment

    The most comprehensive initial assessment

A session is one hour of service: 45 minutes of therapy and 15 minutes of preparation and notes. Private health rebates may apply, depending on your fund and cover. See fees and Medicare for stuttering therapy for the detail.

Guides For Parents

Answers To The Questions Parents Ask

Plain, sourced guides on stuttering in children and teenagers.

See All Guides

  2. Understanding stuttering

    What causes stuttering in children?

    Nothing a parent did causes stuttering. Here is what research supports as causes, what only makes stuttering show more on...

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Frequently Asked Questions

Stuttering Therapy Questions

Does stuttering therapy work by video with a small child?

Yes. A young child is not asked to sit and work at a screen. Dr Lauren watches your child talk and play, measures the stuttering, shows you the short daily practice and decides the next step, all on the call. The Lidcombe Program treatment guide reports clinical trials showing the program is effective when the speech pathologist's part is given by video.

Do I need a referral?

No. You do not need a referral to apply for stuttering therapy. A doctor's referral is only needed if you want to claim a Medicare rebate.

Will my child grow out of stuttering?

Some children do. The Australian Stuttering Research Centre says many but not all children recover naturally, sometimes up to three years after stuttering starts, and that it is not possible to predict whether an individual child will. That is why researchers advise starting treatment early instead of waiting to see.

How long does stuttering treatment take?

Nobody can say in advance for one child. For the Lidcombe Program, the Australian Stuttering Research Centre says it is common for children to take several months to reach no stuttering or almost no stuttering. A second stage follows, with less frequent sessions, to check that the change holds.

Do you see adults?

No. Dr Lauren works with children and teenagers up to 18.

Do you offer in-person sessions?

No. Every session is by video, for families anywhere in Australia.

What happens after I apply?

Dr Lauren works with a small number of families and has limited availability. Our team will review your application. A place is not guaranteed.

Apply Now
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A child reaches for a pink teddy bear placed on a table next to a rainbow-shaped wooden toy. Framed floral artwork is visible in the background. A person with curly hair smiles while wearing a white t-shirt and headphones. They are seated indoors with a light-colored background. A young girl with long blond hair and a light purple shirt smiles while sitting on a couch, gesturing with her hand. A woman and a young boy sit outside on a blanket. The woman shows the boy an object, and they both focus on it intently. The background is grassy and blurred.
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Work With Dr Lauren

Apply To Work With Dr Lauren

Dr Lauren works with a small number of families and has limited availability. A parent or guardian applies.

Apply Now
  • Stuttering Therapy By Video
  • Children And Teenagers
  • The Lidcombe Program
  • Australia Wide
Stuttering Therapy

Your child Who would Dr Lauren be working with?

A parent or guardian applies. This takes a few minutes.