Beginning speech therapy with your toddler can feel very overwhelming. You may be experiencing a flood of emotions from anxiety, uncertainty, or relief that you’re finally found support for your toddler. These mixed feelings are very normal. If you’re concerned about your child’s development, considering therapy or are beginning speech therapy soon, this post is for you! I hope to ease some of the nerves you may be feeling so that you can know what to expect when you begin speech therapy.

Prior to beginning speech therapy you will first complete an initial speech assessment. This can be done by contacting your local pediatrician, local Early Intervention program or a local speech therapy private practice. The speech assessment will determine if your toddler would benefit from therapy. If speech therapy is recommended you and your speech therapist will collaborate to create an individualized plan that will highlight goals in the context of your routines. Moving forward, you will work as a team to target these goals in sessions. You will always have the ability to advocate, troubleshoot, and prioritize goals along the way.

Now here are three things you should know before your toddler starts speech therapy:

1. Speech therapy is play-based

As speech therapists we play with a purpose in sessions! Play is critical for toddler’s development. It’s how toddler’s learn. It supports the development of their speech and language skills, problem solving skills and their understanding of new concepts and emotions. Play also provides repeated opportunities to practice these skills! In play, we can take the time to build relationships too, which we know is critical component to the success of a therapy.

So rather than using flashcards and sitting at a table, expect to address many of your child’s goals within play! By following your child’s lead, activities are fun, engaging and motivating for your toddler. This will not only help them learn and develop their skills but also help them stay in your interactions for longer periods of time!

2. You will learn new strategies to use with your toddler within your routines

Your speech therapist will teach you how to embed strategies to enhance your child’s communication within your routines! Routines provide invaluable learning opportunities for your toddlers. From mealtimes, washing hands, diaper changes, washing, feeding pets, and more! These routines are repetitive, which means they provide frequent opportunities for embedding language! You don’t need anything fancy or to set aside time to practice “speech” post sessions.

Speech therapy sessions are typically between 30 to 60 minutes long and occur one to two times a week. That’s ~1 hour compared to ALL the hours you spend with your toddler throughout the week! Our goal as speech therapists is to empower you with confidence so you can support your child’s developing communication skills when you leave each session. And we know toddler’s learn best and are most motivated by those who they’re closest to and love them the most. Psst, that’s YOU!

3. Progress can take time

The length of therapy truly depends on each individual child. Every child is different and there are many factors to consider. Some children may be in therapy for a few months while others a few years. I know this uncertainty can be overwhelming. Know that your speech therapist is on your team and are there to support you every step of the way. And progress is possible through parent involvement, your collaboration, continuous problem-solving, reflection and consistency.

Support your toddler’s language development

It’s never too early or too late to reach out for support. If you have concerns about your child’s speech & language development contact me today. I provide in-home support to families here in NYC in parts of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn!