Frequent and Consistent Therapy at TALK

Frequency.  Consistency.  Frequency...Consistency.  More than likely, you have probably heard your speech therapist mention these terms more than once.  You have a solid treatment plan.  You have amazing and skilled therapists.  BUT we still need to talk about frequency and consistency.  These two factors are the drivers of success in therapy.

Once your child has finished the diagnostic therapy period and we have held the initial parent meeting to go over the evaluation and treatment plan, it is now time to dive in and target those carefully selected objectives! Treatment plans with short-term objectives are written for a four-month period and progress of all goals will be reviewed at the following parent meeting, with all data graphed and analyzed. Functional, measurable goals are implemented to target your child’s communication needs.

Consistency and frequency of therapy are two of the most important factors for demonstrating progress in speech therapy. AT TALK, all clients attend therapy for a minimum of two times per week. Researchers in the field of speech and language development find that therapy once per week tends to promote maintenance of skills. More frequent and consistent therapy is vital for making greater progress across all domains of speech and language. If your child is making slower progress than desired, take a look at their attendance of sessions.  Have they missed numerous sessions?  Have they taken several breaks?   Talk to your therapist about increasing frequency of services, if appropriate. 

You can also ask your therapist if implementing a home practice program is suitable for your child. Maintaining mastered skills at home can help progress with inconsistent skill levels targeted in speech therapy.  The more frequent and consistent the intervention, the higher the chances are of meeting their goals!