If your child is struggling with their speech, they seem delayed or perhaps they’re not talking at all yet, you might have enlisted the help of a speech and language therapist.
If your child has been assessed and a treatment plan put in place, you may be wondering how you can support them on this journey and ensure they are following their personalised plan.
Well, there are several things you can do as a parent to help your child with their speech therapy. Here are some of the most effective tips and strategies you can implement.
1. Communicate regularly with their speech therapist
First and foremost, you need to stay informed. By keeping an open line of communication between you and your child’s speech therapist you can better understand the goals, progress and techniques being used.
And don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don’t understand or that you don’t think is working.
You could even ask for homework, requesting exercises or activities to practice at home that align with what the therapist is working on with your child.
Remember to also set up and attend regular therapy sessions for your child. The therapist will be able to advise on how frequently this should happen depending on the nature of your child’s speech difficulties.
2. Incorporate speech therapy into your daily routines
The more ways you can incorporate speech therapy into your daily routines the better. Some ways to do this include practising specific speech sounds or adding language exercises into daily activities like cooking, shopping and playing.
As part of this, you can narrate activities as you undertake them. For example, taking them through your daily routines, and explaining what you’re doing and why to help them build vocabulary and understanding.
Using visual aids on a regular basis can also help. Pictures, flashcards or apps can help to reinforce language skills and the concepts they are being taught in therapy and they are easy to integrate into daily routines like getting ready, packing their bags or going to bed.
3. Create a language-rich environment
One of the simplest ways you can support your child’s speech therapy is simply to create a language-rich environment within your household.
For example, reading books aloud to them and discussing the story. This encourages language development. You should also encourage them to tell their own stories, asking them about their day, favourite toys, what they’ve been up to or even just to make up a story.
All of this promotes practice and expressive language.
Also, be careful to limit screen time as too much can hinder their language development further. That’s not to say you can’t use TV or videos to stimulate and engage them, even teach them, but just get the balance right between screen time and interactive, language-based activities.
4. Be patient and positive
It is vital that you avoid putting too much pressure on your child to speak perfectly. Encourage effort rather than perfection and keep incorporating speech therapy techniques to help them strengthen their skills each day.
It’s also important that you celebrate their progress by focusing on the positive strides they make, no matter how small they may seem. Celebrating their successes this way can help to build their confidence.
5. Model correct speech and language around your child
Wherever possible, you should model correct speech and language around your child. That’s not to say that when you’re having a casual conversation with a friend or family member you have to be hyper-vigilant.
However, you should slow your speech down and always speak clearly when talking to your child to help them understand and mimic correct speech patterns.
It’s also helpful to repeat and expand. So, if your child makes an error, repeat what they said correctly and expand on it to model proper speech without simply correcting them and moving on.
6. Encourage social interactions and games
It’s nice to arrange playdates or group activities that can help your child practice speech and language skills in a social setting. This could also involve interactive games that require verbal communication, such as ‘I Spy’ or board games with storytelling elements.
7. Use technology wisely
You should utilise speech therapy apps and tools as recommended by the therapist to make practising and learning more fun and engaging for your child.
These tools can also be a great way to record your child’s speech at intervals to track their progress over time. This can be a motivational tool for them and also gives you real data to feedback to their therapist if required.
8. Be involved in school support
Helping with speech therapy doesn’t stop at home or in the therapist’s office. It’s also a good idea to coordinate and work with your child’s teacher to ensure they are aware of their speech therapy goals and the techniques they can also use to help them.
If needed, you should advocate for additional speech services at the school, such as an Individualised Education Plan (IEP), if this is recommended by the therapist or something you believe your child could benefit from.
9. Seek support for yourself
Don’t forget that this journey is not just about your child. As such, it can be helpful to connect with other parents who are going through similar experiences, to share tips and emotional support. You can also educate yourself further, by reading up on speech and language development to better understand the challenges your child may be facing.
By actively participating in your child’s speech therapy and continuing to grow your own knowledge and understanding, you can create a supportive environment that significantly enhances their progress.
10. Be consistent with therapy and practise
Finally, as we’ve said, it’s important to attend all speech therapy sessions consistently and on time to ensure you and your child get the most from these meetings.
You should also set aside time each day for speech therapy practice at home, even if it’s just 10-15 minutes and you can use any of the techniques outlined above to support your child’s development.
