Forming a strong partnership with your child’s speech therapist is a must if and when you want your child to truly benefit from speech therapy. Yes, we understand if it feels slightly intimidating, even overwhelming, at first but it is normal so just push through your initial feelings. Your child will need his speech therapist’s guidance and your support so your partnership will be crucial in his progress.
Here are things that you can expect and you will be expected to do in this matter.
Active Participation and Observation
As a parent, you have the responsibility to continue your child’s speech therapy at home. In fact, the best results can be seen when children learn along with their parents and siblings, especially as they spend more time at home than they do inside the speech therapist’s office.
You will then be invited into the sessions to be both an active participant and an observer. You will, for example, be asked to model chewing on a carrot stick for your child or be directed about dealing with your child’s feeding aversions. You will be guided about what and how you should do something.
In many instances, you will also be sent home with specific exercises that you and your child should work on before the next appointment. You should also closely observe the goings-on during the session so you can reinforce the learning at home.
Discussion of Your Concerns
You and your child’s speech therapist will engage in in-depth discussions about your child’s challenges and progress during the treatment course. You must be open to the speech therapist’s concerns in the same way that you should be open about yours. Your give-and-take attitude is a must, too, in establishing mutual respect – and if there’s none of it, then you should consider finding another speech therapist.
The concerns that can be discussed include your family’s priorities for the treatment, the possible adjustments in treatment based on your child’s progress, and even the cost-and-benefit analysis of certain methods. Keep in mind that while the speech therapist has the professional qualifications, the parents have the ultimate responsibility for their children. Such responsibility demands that you put your child’s welfare first and foremost during treatment.
What if there doesn’t seem to be little to no progress? You and your child’s therapist will discuss possible habits at home that act as barriers to success. You have to be honest about your answers since these will have an impact on your child’s learning.
For example, you may be allowing your child to eat in front of the television instead of with the rest of the family at the dining table. You’re not actually helping your child in the development of his language skills since he has nobody else to talk to during mealtimes, not to mention that he may be feeling isolated.
Of course, your child’s speech therapist will not only provide professional guidance but, more importantly, moral support and encouragement.
If you think your child need a speech therapy, please contact us for further consulation. HK Hearing & Speech Center is a specialist in speech therapy.
Source:
HK Hearing & Speech Centre
Specialist of Hearing test & assessment,
Hearing Aid Prescription, and Speech Therapy