Is your child brand new to speech therapy? Everyone starts somewhere. Here, we offer 6 questions to ask your child’s Akron speech therapist to give you a better understanding of what’s next and how you can best support your child’s growth and development.

1. What is my child’s prognosis based on the initial evaluation?

You recognize that your child isn’t on par with their peers in terms of speech and communication. But the Akron speech therapist who conducted the evaluation and/or the one who is administering the treatment can give you a better sense of what the next chapter is going to hold.

Perhaps your child has a specific diagnosis, but that doesn’t tell you everything. Autism spectrum disorder, for example, is a very broad spectrum. Not every child diagnosed with autism will have the exact same speech and language deficits. The speech therapist can give you a better sense of their approach and timeline for treating your child’s exact condition.

2. What are the realistic goals for speech therapy?

Skilled speech-language pathologists use evidence-based strategies when working with kids who have speech and language delays and disorders. We know how to implement these approaches so they’re successful in facilitating functional speech and language skills. That doesn’t mean we’ll have your child reciting sonnets within six months.

Ask your child’s Akron speech therapist what specific goals they’re setting in the individualized plan of care. Ask if there are ways you can support their efforts at home for faster generalization of these skills.

3. How much experience or training do you have in treating others with the same diagnosis or difficulties as my child?

Speech-language pathologists in Ohio are licensed through the Ohio Speech and Hearing Professionals Board, and their education qualifies them to treat a wide range of conditions for patients of all ages. But just as doctors, lawyers, or teachers may have certain areas of expertise, speech therapists can have specialties too. It’s a good idea for parents to look for a speech therapist who is primarily dedicated to treating pediatric patients – and specifically those with conditions similar to their child’s.

4. How long do you think my child will need speech therapy?

This might not be an easy question for your Akron speech therapist to answer right away, as it may take some time to truly get a sense of your child’s learning style and speed. But they can often give you a general sense of whether we’re talking a few months of treatment or more compound issues that are likely to take years to help your child reach their full potential.

5. How often will we need to come in for speech therapy?

Frequency of speech therapy sessions will depend on your child’s condition as well as your insurance coverage for treatments. In some cases, once- or twice-a-week sessions may be adequate. We may even be able to mix in teletherapy or home sessions if that’s more convenient for your family (so long as it’s still effective for your child). Some conditions may require intensive intervention with 3+ speech therapy sessions weekly.

No matter what, consistency is critical for success in pediatric speech therapy. It is not a quick fix or a Band-Aid. Make sure you understand what it’s going to take and that you’re committed to the process.

6. Can an Akron speech therapist recommend any community resources that can help support my child and/or our family in meeting their speech therapy goals?

Our speech therapy team at Therapy & Wellness Connection are your connection to a life without limitations. In addition to being a multidisciplinary clinic, homeschool and tutoring provider, social group organizer and summer camp host, we can connect parents to many state and local community programs that can help promote your child’s speech and language skills.

Therapy & Wellness Connection – your connection to a life without limitations – provides speech therapy to children in Akron, Cleveland, Brecksville-Broadview Heights and surrounding communities. We also offer summer camp, day programs, education services, vocational counseling and more. Call us at (330) 748-4807 or send us an email.

Additional Resources:

Language and Speech Disorders in Children, CDC

More Blog Entries:

Why Pediatric Speech Therapy Demand is WAY Up, Jan. 5, 2024, Akron Speech Therapist Blog