Speech therapy for multilingual children

What I help with

Do you recognise this?

Does your child's teacher say that your child is sometimes hard to understand? Maybe you notice that your child sounds different from other children of their age, or that people often have trouble understanding what they say. Perhaps the GGD has screened your child and advised you to see a speech therapist.

And maybe you are simply wondering: is this still part of normal speech development, or does my child need some extra help?

I help children from age 4 who are:

lisping
having difficulty with certain sounds, like the r, s, l or k
replacing sounds, for example tat instead of kat
leaving sounds out of words
simplifying sound combinations
difficult to understand
getting frustrated because others don't understand them
feeling insecure about their speech

Dutch sounds we often practise

vis · /vɪs/ schoen · /sxun/ huis · /hœys/ rood · /roːt/

Is this still normal for their age?

Children often simplify sounds and words while they are learning to speak. This can be a completely normal part of speech development. As children get older, however, these speech patterns are expected to disappear.

For example, a younger child might say tat instead of kat, replacing the k with a t. This is called fronting, and we expect this speech pattern to have disappeared by around 3;6 years, so three and a half.

Not sure if your child's pronunciation still fits their age and development? During a free introductory call, we can have a look together at whether speech therapy is actually necessary or whether it may be better to wait a little longer.

If speech therapy is needed, we work on the sounds or speech patterns your child finds difficult and gradually practise them in words, sentences and everyday conversation.

The goal is not only clearer speech, but also helping your child feel more confident when speaking.

Elise Valkenburg, registered speech and language therapist

Meet Elise

Hi, I'm Elise.

For the past seven years, I've helped children with speech difficulties communicate with more joy and confidence.

I use creativity, playfulness and a personalised approach, always looking at the child in front of me and what works best for them.

Read my story

My approach

Playful, personal, and built around your child.

Playful and engaging

Children learn best when practice feels like play. That is how the exercises are built.

Built around your child

I adapt exercises to what helps your child understand and succeed.

Online, but personal

Sessions take place from home or school, while still feeling interactive and connected.

Clear for parents too

You know what we are working on, why, and how you can help at home. Everything I explain to you is in English.

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Inside a session

The platform I built myself.

When the usual online tools felt too limited, I started creating my own therapy games. Your child gets to play, while we practise the sounds they find difficult.

A child at a laptop at home — Your child joins from home

A live online session in Elise's own therapy platform, with a sound game on screen — A live session in my own platform

Elise working on Dutch sounds with an alphabet board — Practising the sounds that are hard

Elise holding picture cards during a session — Built around what your child likes

Elise using a ball to practise sounds — Short sessions, 20 to 30 minutes

Looking back, I think I knew quite early on that speech therapy could be done differently.

As a teenager I went to a speech therapist myself, for an atypical swallowing pattern. I still remember how boring I found the sessions. A lot of repetition, a lot of watching how I swallowed, and very little that made me want to practise. Even then I thought: surely this could be more engaging.

School taught me the same lesson from another side. I struggled with maths for years. The standard explanations simply didn't click, and there wasn't much room for a different approach. Then one teacher took the time to explain it another way. Suddenly it made sense, and something I had found difficult for years even became enjoyable.

I have been working as a speech and language therapist for seven years now, in private practices, in a specialist childcare centre and online. Working online showed me how much is possible at a distance. Children can practise, learn and make real progress from their own home.

But I also noticed that the digital tools available for online speech therapy were limited. I wanted children to be able to play, choose, search, move things around and take part actively, while still practising in a very focused way. So I started developing my own materials and my own online therapy environment.

That lets me adapt the activity to the child in front of me. One session might be a racing game, another a search activity or a listening game. The game is never the goal. It is the way to keep a child engaged long enough to get the repetition that real progress needs.

Today I focus on children who find pronunciation difficult and who are hard to understand. I first look at how your child speaks Dutch and whether that fits what we would expect at their age. If extra support would help, we work on it step by step, with plenty of practice, but without it feeling like endless drilling.

Why families choose Elise

Playful, personalised and flexible speech therapy.

No long waiting list

You don't have to wait months before your child can get help. Waiting lists elsewhere can run for many months.

No one-size-fits-all therapy

The treatment and the exercises are adapted to your child, not to what an insurer allows.

Built around a busy family life

Online sessions make speech therapy easier to fit around school, work and everything else going on.

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How it works

Four simple steps, no pressure.

1

Free video call

A relaxed call to hear your child's story and answer your questions.

2

A look at the Dutch sounds

A short screening of how your child speaks Dutch, explained back to you in plain English.

3

A clear plan, or an all-clear

Together we look at whether therapy would help right now, or whether your child is doing just fine. If we start, you get a plan with simple goals.

4

Progress you can see

We look at how your child is doing as we go, and I show you what we practised and what you can work on at home.

Ready to find out where your child stands?

Step one is just a conversation. No commitment, and no waiting list.

Book a free video call Ask on WhatsApp

Reviews

What parents say

Our experience with online speech therapy with Elise was very good. It was wonderful that the sessions could be followed from home, which made them easy to combine with school and work. The approach worked particularly well: my son Felix found the online games both interesting and fun to do. On top of that, Elise's expert advice really helped him. A report on his progress followed quickly after each session. Communication was smooth too, with quick replies and a lot of flexibility in scheduling. Definitely recommended.

Susanne, mother of Felix (4)

Since Aria started working with Elise, we have noticed that she is speaking more and has become more confident. The other day, when I complimented her, she said herself that it was because of speech therapy with Elise.

Salome, mother of Aria

I had an excellent experience with online speech therapy. Elise focused on improving Ilja's understanding of Dutch, vocabulary, sentence structure and speech. Elise demonstrated incredible patience with Ilja and employed a thoughtful approach tailored to his individual needs. Throughout the process, communication was seamless and clear. This service is a fantastic option for those seeking flexible, high quality speech therapy from the comfort of their own home. I would highly recommend it to others.

Elena R., mother of Ilja

Good exercises, clear explanations. Elise took her time with our daughter.

Verified review · Zorgkaart Nederland · 9.4

Really pleasant, open communication with Elise, and we can already see improvement in our daughter.

Verified review · Zorgkaart Nederland · 9.7

She helps me really well and I can already see progress.

Verified review · Zorgkaart Nederland · 9.1

Some reviews were translated from Dutch.

Costs and payment

Clear about what it costs, before you start.

Treatment at Logopedie Elise is paid privately, and every child needs a different amount of support.

After the free video call I give you an indication of how many sessions I expect your child may need and what the total cost is likely to be. That way you know in advance what to expect, and you can decide whether you would like to start.

If during the treatment it becomes clear that more or fewer sessions are needed, we discuss that together in good time.

Good to know

Questions parents often ask

Is this something for us?

How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?

That is exactly what the free video call is for. Together we look at how your child speaks, and I tell you honestly whether speech therapy is necessary or whether it is better to wait.

My child cannot pronounce certain sounds. Is that normal?

Some speech sound errors are a normal part of development, while others may be less typical and worth looking into earlier. It depends on your child's age and the type of errors they make. For example, saying tat instead of kat can be typical in younger children, but this pattern is usually expected to have disappeared by around age 3;6.

My child is difficult to understand. When should I seek help?

If people outside the family regularly ask your child to repeat themselves, it is worth having their speech looked at. When incorrect speech patterns are used for a long time, they can become more established and may take longer to change later on.

From what age can I register my child, and is there a waiting list?

From age 4. There is no waiting list, so once we have had the free call we can usually start within a week.

How the therapy works

Does online speech therapy really work?

Yes. I have worked online for years and have seen children make clear progress with their speech from home. For pronunciation, online therapy works especially well: I can see and hear the mouth clearly, demonstrate sounds up close and practise them through interactive games that keep children actively involved.

What happens in a session?

We practise through games in the online environment I built myself. Which activity we use depends on your child, and it changes as we go.

Do I need to be present during the session?

With younger children, it helps if you are nearby at the start. Together we'll see whether your child does best with you sitting next to them or taking part in the session on their own.

If your child attends the session independently, I'll use the last five minutes to show you what we practised and what you can work on together at home.

How much does my child need to practise at home?

A short amount of practice each day works better than one long session a week. I'll tell you exactly what to practise and keep it manageable, so it is easy to fit into your daily routine.

How quickly will I see results?

Every child progresses at a different pace. It depends on your child's age, the type and severity of the speech difficulties, and whether we are working on one sound, such as the /r/, or several speech patterns.

At the start I will give you an estimate of how many sessions your child may need. That is only an estimate: as therapy progresses we regularly look at how your child is developing and adjust the plan if needed.

What if my child struggles to concentrate online?

Sessions for younger children are short, usually around 20 to 25 minutes, and I adapt the activities to what keeps your child engaged. Concentration can vary for many reasons, such as tiredness or a long day at school, so we can also look at what time of day works best for your child.

If, after trying different approaches, we find that online therapy simply isn't the right fit for your child, I'll tell you honestly and recommend continuing with a speech therapist in your local area.

Practical and costs

Is it covered by insurance?

No, treatment is paid privately. See Costs and payment just above for how that works.

Is therapy provided in Dutch or English?

The therapy itself is in Dutch, because that is the language your child is learning. Everything I explain to you as parents is in English, including the reports.

What equipment do we need?

A laptop or iPad, a stable internet connection and a quiet place where your child can focus. Everything else is provided in the online environment.

Can my child have sessions while at school?

That is possible if the school agrees and there is a quiet spot with a decent connection. Some parents find that easier than fitting sessions around the end of the school day.

Help your child be understood in Dutch.