When your child begins speech therapy, it’s important to communicate openly with their therapist to ensure the best results. Asking the right questions can give you insights into the therapy process and help you support your child’s progress at home. Here are some essential questions to ask your child’s speech therapist.
1. What Are My Child’s Specific Speech Challenges?
Understanding the exact areas your child struggles with—such as articulation, fluency, or social communication—can guide you in monitoring progress and reinforcing skills outside therapy sessions.
2. What Goals Are We Working Toward?
Ask about short-term and long-term therapy goals. Clear goals provide a roadmap for progress and help track improvements over time.
3. What Strategies Are You Using?
Learn about the techniques being used in therapy, such as modeling, repetition, or visual aids. This allows you to practice these strategies at home to reinforce learning.
4. How Can I Support My Child at Home?
Speech therapy works best when it’s reinforced outside sessions. Ask for tips, activities, and resources that can help you practice language and communication skills at home.
5. How Will Progress Be Measured?
It’s crucial to know how the therapist evaluates improvements. Progress tracking may involve regular assessments, milestone checklists, or video recordings to compare before and after results.
6. How Often Should Therapy Sessions Be Held?
Discuss the frequency of sessions and whether adjustments might be needed as your child progresses. Some children may benefit from intensive sessions initially and then transition to fewer meetings over time.
7. Are There Any Additional Resources You Recommend?
Speech therapists often have access to helpful resources like books, websites, or apps designed to support speech development.
8. How Will You Communicate Updates?
Ask whether progress updates will be shared verbally after sessions, through written reports, or during scheduled meetings. Consistent updates keep you informed and involved.
9. Should We Consider Other Services?
Sometimes, speech challenges require a multidisciplinary approach. Ask if occupational therapy or other interventions might complement your child’s speech therapy.
10. What Happens If We Don’t See Progress?
Understand the steps to take if your child’s progress slows. This might involve re-evaluating goals, adjusting strategies, or exploring different therapies.
