A speech pathologist says long wait times can lead to serious developmental impacts for children.

According to information from the Minister for Health’s office, the median wait time for primary school children to see a speech pathologist through the public system is more than 11 months.

Shadow Minister for Early Childhood Education Donna Faragher has hit out at the Cook Labor Government, saying it is not doing enough to support and fund essential child development services, like speech pathology.

In a statement, Mrs Faragher says wait times have blown out.

“The wait time for these vital services has ballooned…our children cannot afford to wait,” she says.

Duncraig-based mother Erin Gaunt has an 11-year-old son who lives with autism.

After being recommended to see a speech pathologist through the NDIS program provided to her son, they had to wait 12 months to get an appointment.

Mrs Gaunt says long wait times is not isolated to speech pathology and that she and her son have experienced similar issues with many paediatric services, including occupational therapy.

She says it is common for many children in the “autism space” to require additional services and more has to be done to increase accessibility for these services.

Hannah Rankin-Hume is a Speech Pathologist at CommuniKids in Victoria Park.

Ms Rankin-Hume says there are real consequences for delaying treatment for children experiencing speech issues.

She says children may begin to experience social delays and may even face issues later on in adult life.

“it might impact their ability to make friends, to socialise, the impact might go on into their adulthood and effect their confidence”

“It may impact their ability to have a job interview,” she says.

Hannah Rankin-Hume, Speech Pathologist at CommuniKids

She says although speech delays are normal, long delays in treatment can have a serious impact.