Clinic
Blossom Tree Speech Pathology
Bentleigh East VIC 3165
Speech therapy
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Feeding or Eating Challenges support in Bentleigh East, VIC
Very limited foods, gagging, or distress at mealtimes.
- 4 providers found
- 2 offering telehealth
Recommended services for feeding or eating challenges
These services most often help children with feeding or eating challenges. Select one to find out more.
Showing providers in Bentleigh East (3165)
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- Clinic • Comes to you • Telehealth
Kids At Max
Bentleigh East VIC 3165Speech therapyOccupational therapyPsychologyNo reviews yetEnquire for pricingAsk about availability - Clinic • Comes to you
Little Peeps Paediatric Occupational Therapy
Bentleigh East VIC 3165Occupational therapyNo reviews yetEnquire for pricingAsk about availability - Clinic • Comes to you • Telehealth
Stretchy Minds Paediatric Occupational Therapy
Bentleigh East VIC 3165Occupational therapyNo reviews yetEnquire for pricingAsk about availability
About Bentleigh East
About 30,200 people live in Bentleigh East, roughly 3,900 of them children under 10. The median personal income locally is $927 a week. Beyond English, the languages most often spoken at home are Mandarin, Greek and Russian. Population, age and language data: ABS Census 2021.
Cost & funding
Fees depend on the service, the provider and the length of the session. Ask each provider for their fees before the first visit.
Medicare pays a rebate for some speech therapy, OT and dietitian sessions when your GP writes a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan and a referral first. Some private health extras policies pay part of the cost of speech therapy and OT.
If your child has an NDIS plan that includes these supports, you can use it. If your plan is self-managed or plan-managed, you can also use providers that are not NDIS registered. If the NDIA manages your plan, you must use registered providers.
NDIS price limit
$193.99 an hour
Speech pathology and OT, 2026–27. Dietetics: $178.99.
Medicare rebate
$63.40 a session
Up to 5 sessions a year in total with a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan.
Note: NDIS price limits are the national maximums for NDIA-managed and plan-managed plans (NDIS Pricing Schedule 2026–27); remote areas have higher limits. Medicare rebates are from MBS Online, 1 July 2026. Providers can charge more than the rebate. Assessment fees come from provider websites in April 2026.
Work out what you might pay: cost calculatorWhere to start in VictoriaRead our guide to NDIS early intervention fundingWhat to expect at the start
Talk and play
The speech pathologist asks about your child's health and development, then plays with your child to see how they understand and use words.
Assessment
They may use some tests and check inside your child's mouth. Bring any reports from your GP, paediatrician or hearing tests.
Goals together
You decide together what to work on first. You can ask for a written report and therapy plan.
Sources: NSW Health; Raising Children Network.
Frequently asked questions
Fussy eating is a normal part of development, and many toddlers are picky eaters. Up to half of all toddlers refuse to eat a new food at least half of the time. Picky eating usually improves as children get older. If your child is healthy and has enough energy to play, learn and explore, they are probably eating enough.
It can take 10 to 15 tries, or even more, for a child to get used to, accept and enjoy a new food. Around half of parents give up on a food after only 2 or 3 tries. Keep offering healthy foods even if your child does not eat them, because repeated exposure helps unfamiliar foods feel normal over time.
Eat a wide variety of foods yourself and eat with your child, so you are a good role model. Try to avoid food becoming a power struggle. Being forced to try new foods can lead to unhealthy eating habits and a negative relationship with food over time. Bribing with lollies or desserts only makes children think those foods are better than the meal.
If your child eats only a very small range of foods or won't eat whole food groups, and this goes on for longer than a few weeks, see your GP, child and family health nurse or a dietitian. The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne lists these as examples of feeding problems rather than typical eating: mealtimes that are consistently longer than 30 minutes even without distractions, refusing so many foods that growth is not adequate, and becoming extremely upset when new foods are offered. If you think your child has digestive problems, sensory sensitivities, food allergies or an eating disorder, talk to your doctor.
A dietitian can help you and your child manage fussy eating and slow or poor growth. You don't need a GP referral to see a dietitian. Speech pathologists also help people with swallowing and feeding problems. Your GP or child and family health nurse is a good place to start, and can help you find a dietitian if you need one.
Services in Bentleigh East
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