How Does Speech Therapy Work?

Welcome, dear parents, to a journey of understanding the profound world of speech therapy and its transformative impact on your child's language development. As we delve into the techniques employed by speech therapists, we aim to provide you with valuable insights and practical tips to enhance your child's communication skills.

During sessions, the speech therapist models a word or a sentence correctly to the child while they are playing together. The child repeats after the therapist and receives reinforcement for saying it correctly or even attempting to say it. When it comes to developing a child's language, the therapist uses language intervention, plays with the child, and shows her toys, books, and pictures. 

Therapist improves the child's vocabulary and grammar with repetition activities. 

What parents can do at home to improve their child's speech & language?

Parents can play a crucial role in improving their children's speech or language by just simply helping them. 

Do you recall how you learned to speak when you were a child? 

Correct! Our parents & caregivers helped us to speak & understand our home language. Here are 3 ways you can help your child with speech & language development at home:

1) Communicate with your child. Talk to her, sing rhymes, and empathize on imitation of sounds & gestures. This will gradually increase vocalization. 

2) Reading stories to your child is another effective way to make him speak. Look for picture books or story books that are age appropriate for her. Make your child see the picture while you are naming it. 

3) Take advantage of everyday situations. You can talk about anything in your surroundings. It can be any item or the work you are doing. You can also point to various objects in the room. While doing this, you need to keep your words simple, and avoid baby talk.

Will this be with the child for the rest of their life?

Dear parent, there is no need to panic. Every child reaches their developmental milestones at their own pace and not two children are alike. We must also recognise that every child is unique in their own way. Some children learn talking very early in life as compared to their friends of the same age. Whereas, others may talk later. This doesn't mean that the child who talks first is gifted and the latter is delayed. This simply indicates that there will be individual differences during the developmental process. Not all children are going to touch the milestones at the same time. The time differs from child to child. However, if the child is unable to communicate his needs through nonverbal communication and engages in challenging behaviors as a result of not having words or phrases to express what is bothering him, then an evaluation from a pediatrician is recommended.