When your child has a speech or language issue, it can be overwhelming. Where do you start and what should you expect from therapy?
Make sure your child’s speech and language therapist has the proper credentials.
This includes their Florida state license and is nationally certified through the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA).
At First Words, our therapists are trained with extensive clinical experience which they continuously improve upon by remaining current with clinically proven, evidence-based evaluation and therapy practices. Our therapists are devoted to providing your child with the highest quality of care and we are here to help.
What is the treatment plan for your child?
After a speech therapist assesses your child, they should put together a treatment plan. This should depend on your child’s specific needs, strengths, and problem areas. You should also talk to the speech therapist about your child’s most effective communication methods.
Ask your speech therapist what activities you can do at home with your child to help with their progress. There are many different ways a parent or caregiver can help a child learn to communicate, use and understand words. ASHA has a list of activities to encourage speech and language development for all ages.
How frequently will my child need therapy?
You will want to know how often and how long your child will need therapy. This depends on the child and the type of speech, language, feeding, or communication issue your child is demonstrating. More is not always better. Some children need shorter, more frequent sessions. While others show significant progress with fewer but longer session.
“What we know is that the sooner the issues are addressed by a professional, the better chance the child has of getting on that normal developmental progression,” said Elise Davis-McFarland, president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
If you have any questions or concerns about your child, we encourage you to contact Orlando’s First Words Therapy. We take a holistic approach to speech-language-therapy to help your child communicate more effectively.
