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How to Choose the Right Speech Therapist for Your Child

If your child has been diagnosed with a communication disorder, receiving help from a talented speech therapist can be life-changing. But with so many options, how do you choose the right fit?

Consider important factors like specialized experience, therapeutic approach, accessibility, and rapport to ensure your child gets the speech therapy they need to thrive.

Look for Extensive Pediatric Experience

Treating children requires very different skills than working with adults. It’s essential to find a speech-language pathologist well-versed in childhood communication issues. Ask about their specific training and credentials. Key indicators include:
  • Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) confirming mastery of skills, knowledge and ethics standards
  • Extensive clinical rotations working with the pediatric population
  • Advanced coursework in early childhood development and disorders
  • Participation in continuing education on the latest evidence-based practices
You want an SLP who understands the unique challenges kids face and can employ proven, play-based techniques to maximize progress.

Evaluate Their Therapeutic Approach and Services Offered

The right speech therapist will thoughtfully evaluate your child’s abilities and challenges to pinpoint gaps. From there, they design a customized treatment plan aligned to their strengths, deficits, and interests to optimize growth.

Look for a pediatric therapist offering:

  • Comprehensive speech, language, feeding, and communication evaluations
  • Individual and group speech therapy sessions
  • Interactive treatment using toys, technology, songs, and games
  • Parent coaching and home programming to generalize skills
  • Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools
  • Collaboration with educational staff for IEP development

Getting the full picture of their assessment and intervention process helps determine if they are a good match.

Ensure Accessibility of Location and Hours

Consistency plays a huge role in speech therapy success. Selecting a clinic with convenient proximity and availability prevents scheduling conflicts and cancellations. Factors like parking, after-hours options, and remote speech therapy increase accessibility.

Pay Attention to Your Child’s Rapport

The child-clinician relationship strongly influences outcomes. You want a speech therapist who connects with your child, keeps them engaged, and makes sessions fun.

Look for warm demeanor, plenty of encouragement and patience allowing your child to communicate comfortably. Personalities need to click to maximize productivity. If your child feels understood and supported, they will thrive.

Let Our Exceptional Pediatric Speech Therapists Help Your Child Reach Communication Confidence

The therapists at Peninsula Associates leverage over 25 years of experience, advanced expertise, and tailored treatment strategies to help each child succeed. Call today to learn more about our pediatric speech therapy services and schedule a complimentary assessment. Together, we’ll ensure your child gains skills to communicate to their fullest ability.