Maria Man – Speech Language Therapist
BSpchPath (Hons) University of Queensland

I am a Speech Language Therapist with experience working with children, young people and their families. I have specialised skills in supporting children with developmental delays and disabilities, paediatric feeding therapy and Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC). I have also had the privilege of supporting young people with high functioning Autism/Aspergers with navigating through social situations and understanding other people’s perspectives.

My passion is in helping children and young people understand and express themselves in whichever way is easiest for them. I can also help children who have trouble eating a wide variety of food.

I believe that best outcomes happen through education and partnership with the person, family, caregivers, daycare centres and schools. I believe that speech therapy should be relevant, individualised and fun and that the person and caregivers are empowered to achieve their goals. As a mother of three young children, I understand the demands of family life and seek to tailor strategies with families that are practical and achievable.

I have worked several years with the Family & Early Childhood Service with Disability Services Queensland, Australia before moving to Hamilton to work as an Autism Specialist Worker with the ASD Communication & Behaviour Support Service and also as a consultant Speech Therapist for McKenzie Centre.

I am a certified therapist in the following approaches/programs:

• Hanen “It Takes Two To Talk” – parent program for children with language delays
• Hanen “More Than Words” – parent program for children with autism
• PROMPT Bridging – a program to develop motor skills for speech
• DIR Floortime – promotes development by encouraging children to interact with parents and others through play
• SOS Feeding – addresses problematic feeding behaviors by allowing a child to interact with food in a playful and non-stressful way
• Advanced PODD – an approach to organising whole word and symbol vocabulary in a communication book or speech generating device to provide immersion and modelling for learning
• Minspeak – a way of representing language through use of a small number of icons to efficiently communicate a large number of words via a specialised device or an iPad (LAMP – Words for Life app)

On a personal note, I have had the honour of giving a keynote address with my brother (who has Autism) about dealing with life’s transitions and growing up with each other at the Altogether Autism conference in Auckland on 19th July 2017.