Abby Barnes, M.S., CCC-SLP
As a parent, you keep an eye on your child’s growth and development. So if you suspect your child has a speech delay, you probably want to learn more about speech delay treatment and how you can help your child.
Speech therapy is always the recommended treatment for a speech delay. Licensed speech-language pathologists, also called speech therapists, are clinical experts in communication. Here at Expressable, we’ve worked with thousands of children and their families to help them navigate speech delays and grow their communication skills.
Keep reading to learn how a speech delay is treated, what therapy for a speech delay looks like, and how to find a speech therapist.
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Free consultationHow speech delay is treated
A speech delay is treated by a speech therapist. In most cases, therapy sessions are every week, often twice per week. Speech therapy sessions for kids are designed to be fun and engaging, focusing on the child’s interests while targeting their communication goals. Play routines and activities are set up with the purpose of helping the child communicate.
Your speech therapist will determine long-term and short-term goals for your child. Every child will have different goals to work on, as speech delays can look different among different kids.
For example, a child’s long-term goal might be to use short sentences to communicate. Their short-term goal might be to use more words in daily situations. So speech therapy sessions will start with helping your child learn to use more words, and then grow to using sentences over time.
During sessions, play routines and activities are set up with the purpose of helping the child communicate.
Let’s look at a few examples of what speech delay treatment looks like. Say a child is working on using more words or phrases while playing with their favorite toy, a racecar. The speech therapist can prompt and motivate them to say car-related words and phrases as they play together. These can be anything from making car noises, like “beep beep,” to saying phrases like “The car is fast” or “Ready, set, go!”
If a child likes to do crafts, the speech therapist can use this activity during sessions. They can practice words related to the craft in order to help the child communicate better.
This approach can be done with just about any activity! Games, toys, songs, books… there’s always a fun, play-based way that therapy can help children with speech delays. Your speech therapist will take the time to get to know your child, and whether they’re obsessed with dinosaurs or crazy about Bluey, the therapist will work that into sessions.
Here’s a peek inside the session with a toddler who receives speech therapy here at Expressable. In this video, you’ll see 2-year-old Kingston learning to use more words through song.
Keep in mind, speech therapists work with many different children. They know that sometimes it might be hard to get kids to participate. Your first few sessions may focus on establishing rapport and a good relationship. This is normal and to be expected. The time spent getting your child to trust their speech therapist will pay off!
How is speech delay diagnosed?
In order for a speech delay to be diagnosed, the speech therapist will perform an evaluation. This typically takes place during your child’s first appointment. Your speech therapist will give standardized tests and other kinds of assessments to test your child’s speech and language skills. Testing helps identify the goals to work on in speech therapy.
More specifically, your speech therapist will evaluate:
What your child understands (called receptive language)
What your child can say (called expressive language)
Your child’s sound development and how clearly they speak
Your child's oral-motor status (how the mouth, tongue, and lips work together for speech, as well as for eating and swallowing)
The speech therapist will also review your child's medical history and talk with you about your concerns. They’ll ask you questions about how your child communicates at home. The goal is to get a holistic picture of how your child is communicating.
The evaluation will help the speech therapist determine whether a speech delay is present. They will also identify whether the speech delay is mild or more severe. The speech therapist will set goals for your child and develop a personalized speech delay treatment plan for them.
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Schedule a free consultationHow long does speech therapy for speech delay last?
The amount of time in speech therapy differs for everyone. However, children with a speech delay usually spend at least a few months in speech therapy. Change doesn’t happen overnight, but your child will make steady progress if they have the right supports in place.
Did you know there are ways you can help your child make progress faster–and maybe even graduate from speech therapy more quickly? Check out this list of things to do:
Attend therapy sessions with your child so you can learn alongside them.
Keep your speech therapist up-to-date with what’s going well and what feels challenging. They can adjust any goals or approaches as needed.
Practice your speech therapist’s recommendations at home so your child gains skills faster.
The role of caregivers in speech delay treatment at home
Many parents may not realize just how important home practice is to treating a speech delay. Speech therapists help kids make incredible gains during sessions. But true progress happens between sessions, when you practice with your child during everyday routines. That helps them use what they’re learning in therapy and reinforce their new skills.
Daily practice also helps children use their new skills in different places. For example, it’s amazing when your child starts saying new words with their speech therapist. But we want them to use those words at home, at school, or at the store. As a parent, you can help your child practice their speech skills no matter where they are. Their therapist sees them once or twice a week, but you’re with them every day!
To make practice even easier, at Expressable, your speech therapist will assign personalized Learning Path in an online portal just for your child. The portal is packed with videos, tips, and at-home activities to help your child make faster progress.
Can a speech delay be treated with online speech therapy?
Speech delay treatment can be done via online speech therapy. Research has shown online speech therapy to be just as effective as in-person speech therapy.
In fact, teletherapy makes it easier for parents to get involved. You can sit alongside your child and talk with their speech therapist, at a day and time that works with your schedule.
Can a nonverbal child do online speech therapy?
Some children with speech delay aren’t talking much or are nonverbal. Your child does not have to be speaking in order to benefit from online speech therapy sessions. Your speech therapist will get to know your child, find out what motivates them, and target goals that help build their communication skills, even if they haven’t ever said a word.
This is another example of why parent involvement is so important. Your speech therapist will show you how to engage with your child in ways that prompt more communication from them. During sessions, your speech therapist can observe your interactions with your child and offer guidance or suggestions.
What should you do if you think your child has a speech delay?
If you suspect that your child has a speech delay, talk with a speech therapist as soon as possible. Early intervention is one of the best ways you can help your child make gains quickly.
Expressable speech therapists have treated thousands of children with speech delay. Parent coaching is an essential part of our treatment approach. Let us help you, too! Schedule a free consult call with one of our specialists. It’s a quick, easy, and free way to get answers and advice. If you decide to schedule an evaluation, the specialist can help you set that up. Don’t wait--get in touch with us today!
