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Paediatric Speech and Language Therapy

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Speech-language pathologist blowing bubbles with a baby during a play-based early speech therapy session in Dubai admin
October 27, 2026

At ABLE UK, paediatric speech and language therapy is assessment-led, play-based and matched to the way your child communicates. Our speech-language pathologists support children from 12 months through to adolescence with speech sound difficulties, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, language delay, stuttering, social communication and complex communication needs. Several of our clinicians are trained to PROMPT Level 3, and therapy is available in English, Arabic or both. We bring 25 years of UK clinical heritage to two clinics in Dubai, at Dubai Healthcare City and JLT, with speech, oral placement, feeding, occupational therapy and ABA teams under one roof.

What is paediatric speech and language therapy?

Speech and language therapy helps children understand and use communication. That covers how clearly they produce sounds, how they plan the movements of speech, how they understand and put words together, how smoothly they speak and how they use communication with other people. For some children it also includes feeding, swallowing and the oral-motor skills that sit underneath speech.

Every programme starts with a thorough assessment. From there, your therapist agrees clear, measurable goals with you and builds sessions around your child’s interests, so practice feels like play rather than drills. Parents and carers are involved at every stage, because what happens between sessions matters as much as the sessions themselves.

Signs your child may benefit from a speech assessment

Parents are often the first to notice that something is different. If you have a concern, it is worth checking. An assessment gives you clear information and, where support is needed, an earlier start.

  • By 12 months: little babbling, few gestures such as waving or pointing, limited shared attention during play
  • By 18 months: fewer than 10 words, difficulty copying sounds, not responding to their name
  • By 2 years: fewer than 50 words, no two-word combinations, speech that is hard for family to understand
  • By 3 years: still hard for unfamiliar people to understand, frequent frustration when communicating, difficulty following simple instructions
  • At any age: stuttering that has lasted more than three to six months, loss of words they used to say, speech that varies each time they try the same word, persistent difficulty with sounds such as R, S, L, SH, CH or TH, drooling beyond toddlerhood, or feeding and swallowing concerns

A delay does not always mean a disorder, and an assessment is the way to tell the difference. Our therapists will give you an honest view of whether therapy is needed or whether monitoring is the right next step. Our guide to when to start speech therapy covers this in more detail.

How we work: assessment-led, bilingual and child-paced

We do not commit to a single method. Your child’s therapist chooses from established approaches according to the assessment findings, and adjusts the plan as progress is reviewed.

  • PROMPT (Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets): a tactile-kinaesthetic approach that uses touch cues on the jaw, lips and face to guide the movements of speech. Several of our clinicians are trained to PROMPT Level 3. It is often used for Childhood Apraxia of Speech and other motor speech difficulties.
  • Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol (K-SLP): a structured approach that shapes simplified word attempts towards clearer, more complete words.
  • Oral Placement Therapy (TalkTools) and the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol: hands-on approaches that build the jaw, lip and tongue skills needed for speech and feeding. See our oral placement therapy service.
  • Hanen programmes (It Takes Two to Talk and More Than Words): coaching parents to build language into everyday routines.
  • DIR Floortime, Gestalt Language Processing support and AAC: relationship-based and alternative routes to communication for children who need them.

Therapy is available in monolingual English, monolingual Arabic, or bilingual Arabic and English. Bilingual children are assessed in their languages where appropriate, so results reflect what they can really do rather than their weaker language alone. Read more about speech delays in multilingual children.

Spotlight: Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder. A child with CAS knows what they want to say, but the brain has difficulty planning and sequencing the movements needed to say it. Speech may change from one attempt to the next, longer words may break down, and the child often understands far more than they can say.

CAS needs motor-based therapy that differs from standard articulation work, with frequent, focused practice. Our clinicians use PROMPT and the Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol, alongside oral placement and AAC support where helpful, and assess carefully to tell CAS apart from phonological delay, dysarthria or oral-motor weakness. Read our full guide to apraxia of speech therapy in Dubai.

Meet Our Therapists

How Speech Therapy Can Help

Support matched to how your child communicates

Every ABLE UK speech therapy programme starts with a thorough assessment and is built around your child’s interests and your family’s priorities. Here are the areas families most often work on with us, always shaped by what matters most to your child.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Motor-based therapy for children who know what they want to say but find it hard to plan the movements of speech.

  • Motor planning and sequencing
  • PROMPT and K-SLP approaches
  • Clearer, more consistent words

Speech Sound Disorders

Support for children whose speech is hard to understand because of articulation or sound-pattern difficulties.

  • Articulation of tricky sounds
  • Phonological patterns
  • Clearer speech at home and school

Late Talkers & Language Delay

Building understanding, vocabulary and sentences through play, daily routines and parent coaching.

  • Understanding and following instructions
  • Vocabulary and word combinations
  • Gestalt Language Processing support

Stuttering & Fluency

Calm, practical support for children who stutter, with as much focus on confidence as on fluency.

  • Easier, smoother speech
  • Confidence when speaking
  • Guidance for parents and schools

Autism & Social Communication

Affirming speech therapy that builds on your child’s own way of communicating and connecting.

  • Shared attention and play
  • Gestalt and echolalic language
  • Conversation and social understanding

AAC & Complex Communication Needs

Augmentative and alternative communication that gives children a reliable way to be understood, alongside spoken language.

  • Low-tech and high-tech AAC
  • Modelling and core vocabulary
  • Support for complex needs

What sets ABLE UK apart

ABLE UK is DHA-licensed and DHCC-credentialed, and has supported families in Dubai since 2014, building on 25 years of UK clinical heritage. Our speech-language pathologists hold training in PROMPT (several to Level 3), Oral Placement Therapy, the Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol, the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol, Hanen and DIR Floortime, and several are certified in orofacial myofunctional therapy.

Speech therapy here sits alongside oral placement, feeding, myofunctional, occupational and ABA therapy in the same clinics, so your child’s goals can be coordinated by one team. Each child receives a written treatment plan, a progress summary every three months and a summary at the end of the year or on graduating from therapy. We are rated 4.6 from 126 Google reviews.

Your Journey With Us

Our Speech Therapy Assessment Process

A structured four-step pathway designed to identify your child's needs accurately and start therapy with clarity from day one.

1
Parent Consultation
A 30-minute conversation with one of our speech-language pathologists to understand your concerns and your child's profile.
  • Developmental and medical history review
  • Discussion of home language environment
  • Guidance on whether assessment is needed
2
Standardised Assessment
Formal testing using internationally recognised tools, conducted in the appropriate language(s) for accurate measurement.
  • Speech sound and motor speech evaluation
  • Expressive and receptive language testing
  • Oral-motor and feeding screening
3
Diagnostic Evaluation
A clear parent-facing report explaining the diagnosis, severity and our recommended therapy frequency.
  • Written report shared with parents
  • Optional sharing with paediatrician or school
  • Detailed therapy recommendations
4
Goal Setting & Treatment
Measurable, time-bound goals agreed with you, with structured progress reviews to keep therapy honest.
  • Personalised treatment plan
  • Three-month progress reviews
  • Year-end or graduation summary

Ready to book a parent consultation?

Call 04 552 0351 or WhatsApp +971 52 774 5062

Two clinics across Dubai

We see families at two locations, so specialist speech therapy is within reach across the city.

Our Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) clinic is on the 2nd Floor, Building 33, and is well placed for families in Bur Dubai, Oud Metha, Downtown and DIFC.

Our JLT clinic is at Office 1605, 16th Floor, Fortune Executive Tower, Cluster T, DMCC, convenient for families in Dubai Marina, JBR, TECOM and Al Barsha.

Both clinics offer the same speech therapy programmes and the same standard of care, so you can choose whichever is easier to reach.

Therapy that works together

Many children benefit from more than one therapy. Some late talkers and children with unclear speech have difficulty with how the muscles of the lips, tongue and jaw work together, which can be mistaken for a language delay. Our speech therapists screen for oral-motor and myofunctional concerns at assessment and, where relevant, coordinate with our oral placement therapy, myofunctional therapy and paediatric feeding therapy teams. You can read more about myofunctional therapy and speech clarity.

Speech therapy can also run alongside occupational therapy with sensory integration and Applied Behaviour Analysis. When teams share a roof, they share goals, and families have one joined-up plan rather than a set of separate appointments.

See speech therapy in action

Oral placement work within a speech session

One of our therapists using TalkTools oral placement techniques within play, to support the oral-motor skills that underpin clearer speech and safer feeding.

TalkTools Horn #3

Part of the TalkTools horn hierarchy, used to practise lip closure, breath control and controlled airflow, all of which support speech sound production.

Food exploration and desensitisation

Gradual, playful exposure to new textures and tastes for children with sensory-based feeding difficulties. Learn more about our paediatric feeding therapy.

The TalkTools Sensi

A vibrating oral tool that gives targeted sensory input to the lips, cheeks and tongue, helping some children build oral awareness ahead of speech and feeding work.

Therapist working with a young boy during a speech and oral motor session
ABLE UK speech-language pathologist working with a child on articulation therapy in Dubai
Children’s play area with a slide and London-themed mural at ABLE UK paediatric therapy clinic in Dubai
Oral placement and feeding therapy department at ABLE UK Dubai
Gestalt Language Processing therapy area at ABLE UK Dubai clinic
Therapist assessing a child’s oral structure during an orofacial myofunctional assessment at ABLE UK Dubai

Getting started

Starting is straightforward. Get in touch by phone or WhatsApp and we will arrange a parent consultation with one of our speech-language pathologists. We will talk through your concerns, your child’s development and the languages used at home, and explain whether an assessment is the right next step.

If your child has already had speech therapy elsewhere and you would like a second opinion, or you are simply unsure whether your child needs help, we are happy to talk it through with no pressure.

Call: 04 552 0351 WhatsApp: Message us on WhatsApp

Frequently Asked Questions

What is speech and language therapy?

Speech and language therapy supports children who have difficulty with communication, including producing speech sounds, planning the movements of speech, understanding language, expressing themselves, speaking fluently, using communication socially, or feeding and swallowing. At ABLE UK, paediatric speech therapy starts with an assessment and uses play-based, evidence-informed approaches matched to each child.

At what age can my child start speech therapy?

We assess children from 12 months of age and work with toddlers, preschoolers, school-age children and adolescents. There is no minimum age for a parent consultation, so if you have a concern about your child’s communication, you can talk it through with one of our speech-language pathologists at any stage.

What are the signs my child may need speech therapy?

Common signs include very few words by 18 months, no two-word combinations by age two, speech that unfamiliar people cannot understand by age three, stuttering that has lasted more than three to six months, frequent frustration when communicating, difficulty following simple instructions, and feeding or drooling concerns. If something does not feel right, an assessment will tell you whether therapy is needed.

What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech?

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder. The child knows what they want to say, but the brain has difficulty planning and sequencing the movements of the lips, jaw and tongue needed to say it. Typical features include inconsistent errors on the same word, difficulty moving smoothly between sounds and syllables, and understanding that is much stronger than speech.

How is apraxia of speech treated at ABLE UK?

Apraxia of speech is treated with motor-based therapy that focuses on planning and practising speech movements, usually with frequent sessions. Our clinicians use PROMPT and the Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol, add oral placement or AAC support where it helps, and coach parents to continue practice at home. Progress is reviewed every three months.

What is PROMPT speech therapy?

PROMPT stands for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets. It is a tactile-kinaesthetic approach in which the therapist uses touch cues on the jaw, lips and face to guide the movements needed for speech. It is often used for Childhood Apraxia of Speech and other motor speech difficulties. Several ABLE UK speech-language pathologists are trained to PROMPT Level 3.

Do you offer bilingual and Arabic speech therapy in Dubai?

Yes. Our team includes Arabic-speaking and bilingual speech-language pathologists. Therapy is available in monolingual English, monolingual Arabic, or bilingual Arabic and English, depending on your child’s home and school languages. Bilingual children are assessed in their languages where appropriate.

Can speech therapy help with stuttering?

Yes. Speech therapy for stuttering helps children speak more easily and feel more confident when talking, and gives parents practical ways to support them. The approach depends on your child’s age and stuttering pattern. Stuttering that has lasted more than three to six months, or that is causing your child distress, is worth assessing.

How many speech therapy sessions will my child need?

It depends on the type and severity of the difficulty, your child’s age and how much practice happens at home. Some children with a single sound error need a short block of therapy, while apraxia of speech and complex communication needs usually need longer-term support. Your therapist will give you an estimate after assessment and review progress with you every three months.

Where are your speech therapy clinics in Dubai?

We have two clinics: Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), Building 33, serving Bur Dubai, Oud Metha, Downtown and DIFC; and JLT, Fortune Executive Tower, Cluster T, serving Dubai Marina, JBR, TECOM and Al Barsha. Both offer the same speech therapy programmes.

Clinically reviewed by Sruthy Sankar, Lead Speech-Language Pathologist at ABLE UK (Master of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology, PROMPT Level 3, OPT Level 3 Specialist, Certified Myofunctional Therapist).