Tharawal – Allied Health Services

Speech Pathologists support children and their families in all areas of communication. Speech Pathology can help with the following difficulties:

• Pronunciation – children learn new sounds as they grow and develop. Sometimes, children have difficulty pronouncing these sounds and their speech can be difficult to understand
  
• Voice – this may include a husky/hoarse voice or loss of voice.
  
• Stuttering – repetitions of sounds and words, block or silences or lengthening of sounds when talking
  
• Understanding – Children may have difficulties understanding what we say and ask them to do e.g. following instructions and answering questions (receptive language)
  
• Talking – Children may have difficulties expressing their ideas. They may rely on using actions to tell us what they want or need, have difficulty speaking in sentences or telling stories (Expressive Language)

Optometry is about more than making sure you have the right glasses.

The optometrist at Tharawal provides comprehensive optometric examination that includes a full eye health check.

This service is important for your general eye health and should be performed annually for diabetics.

Eye examinations are bulk-billed to Medicare, so there is no cost to you.

An added benefit of seeing the optometrist at Tharawal is that most spectacles can be provided free-of-charge if required.

Podiatry manages foot conditions of diabetic and non-diabetic people.

Patients with diabetes can access the podiatrist at Tharawal for annual diabetic foot screening and education about the various foot problems that can be caused by diabetes.

These include: poor blood flow, numbness, ulcers and joint issues. You can receive advice about the importance of skin integrity and correct footwear.

Non-diabetic foot complaints include heel pain (plantar fasciitis), ingrown toenails and general foot pain.

Podiatry clinic is run once per month and is available by referral from your GP.

The diabetic educator provides education and advice for those with newly diagnosed and long-standing diabetes alike.

This includes a review of the effectiveness of current treatment as well as advice regarding lifestyle changes.

She provides a holistic approach to treatment and suggests whole families undergo lifestyle changes if required.

Exercise physiologists help people who find exercise difficult due to their chronic medical conditions, injuries, disabilities or to improve overall health. They prescribe exercise plans and provide education around safe exercise. You can learn about how exercise supports the management of a range of health conditions including diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis and chronic pain. They also support people with muscle and bone injuries including lower back pain, joint replacements and to help prevent falls.

During an initial consultation the exercise physiologist reviews your past medical and exercise history. After completing some small exercise assessments they work with you to put together an exercise program and go through the exercises with you in the clinic.