What is speech therapy (ST) and how can it help?

Speech therapy is a treatment designed to help individuals improve their communication skills, including speech, language, and swallowing. For children, speech therapy can address a variety of communication challenges, such as speech sound disorders, language delays, stuttering, and social communication difficulties.

A healthcare provider may recommend speech therapy if there are:

1. Delayed communication skills
2. Decreased oral motor skills or swallowing difficulties
3. Communication delays where the child may benefit from an AAC device to facilitate expressing wants and needs
    

Your child may or may not have a formal diagnosis to be recommended for services. We treat the child in front of us, not according to a label or protocol.

• Delays in speech development, such as struggling to pronounce words clearly or having difficulty forming sentences. Speech therapy can help your child learn how to make sounds correctly and improve speech clarity.
   
• Difficulties with overall language skills, including trouble understanding or using language—whether in vocabulary, sentence structure, or following directions. Speech therapy can teach your child how to use language more effectively in conversation and other contexts.
   
• Challenges with social communication skills, such as understanding body language, taking turns in conversation, or making eye contact.
   
• Difficulties with fluency or stuttering, such as stuttering or having trouble with the flow of speech.
   
• Difficulties with cognitive-communication skills, including attention, memory, and problem-solving, which are essential for effective communication.
   

Speech therapy is tailored to your child's specific needs. Therapists often use play-based techniques, visual aids, and other engaging methods to make learning fun and effective.

If you notice signs of delayed or unclear speech, difficulty following instructions, or trouble interacting with others, seeking speech therapy early can help your child catch up and develop essential communication skills.

A pediatric speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a highly trained healthcare professional specializing in pediatrics and child development. They hold a master’s degree in Speech Therapy, are nationally certified and state-licensed, and report to a credentialing board. Pediatric speech therapists work in hospitals, homes, clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools, and with individuals of all ages.

The profession also includes Speech-Language Pathology Assistants (SLPAs), who work under an SLP’s evaluation and goals and are supervised by a licensed speech therapist. SLPAs complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program, are licensed, and report to a credentialing board.

All SLPs and SLPAs are required to continually complete educational courses to stay current with effective interventions and advances in research.

The first visit is an evaluation. During this session, your child’s therapist will use a scored assessment to review your child’s skills compared to typical age-related expectations.

The SLP will also observe your child’s behavior and communication skills as they play within the clinic. Examples of activities during this first speech therapy visit may include:

• Play
• Assessment of oral motor skills
• Evaluation of the need for an AAC device
• Assessment of swallowing during eating or drinking
   

Your child’s therapist will also ask you about their daily habits, communication needs, your concerns about their development, and any questions you may have about what to expect. This initial session typically takes about one hour.

After the evaluation, your child may attend weekly 1:1 sessions for up to six months. Each session lasts 30 minutes and focuses on goals identified during the evaluation. These sessions are designed to be child-led, enjoyable, meaningful, and fun, while supporting skill development across various activities.

Parents are encouraged—but not required—to stay during the session. Your therapist will provide feedback, recommendations, and homework to help continue your child’s progress at home between sessions.

Once your child’s goals are met, parents/caregivers are satisfied with their progress, and your child is thriving, they will be discharged from speech therapy services.