A common question parents have is whether speech therapy is better done at home or in the clinic?
In general, kids of all ages do much better in the long run when receiving services in the home. Here are 3 reasons why treatment is better when conducted at home and 3 myths are finally dispelled.
1. Real Life Practice Happens at Home - When sessions happen at home, the therapist can integrate the immediate needs of the child based on the activities they do at home. This means that communication is more functional to the child and will be motivating for them to use. Practice can include everyday routines like brushing teeth, going potty, or eating.
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2. We Can Include the Family - When family members can see what the child is learning and how, they are able to use it more quickly and accurately after the session ends. When family members join the session, therapists can provide immediate feedback and that creates the best learning situation for the child.
3. Less Stress/Less Driving/ More Convenient - Let us do the commuting. Kids these days are driven around constantly - they feel the commute as well. When the therapist can come to your home, the stress and hassle of travel time isn't a factor. Transitions from home to car to clinic are also not an issue. This allows your child to be ready to learn from the moment the therapist sits down to play.
And now for the myths...
Myth 1: “If sessions are in my home, my child will run away and not participate.” The Reality: You might think that being at home is boring, but when an adult comes over, with a bag of new toys your child has never seen before and even sits on the floor to play, its a totally unique experience for your child. This isn't like when an adult usually comes over and sits with the other adults at the table using "adult language." When the therapist comes over, it's all about focusing on your child, and that special situation creates engagement and excitement.
Myth 2: “I don’t have space for you to work with my child.” The Reality: All we need is the floor of any room in your home. Our therapists have built castles in the kitchen, completed puzzles on the living room table, and crashed race cars in the backyard.
Myth 3: “I have another child who will interrupt the session.” The Reality: Often, a parent can take care of occupying siblings while the child is in the session. But sometimes and older or younger sibling wants to see what's going on. The reality is that siblings are a part of the home environment, so therapists will always learn to manage the interruption within the context of the session. If you are wondering if speech therapy at home would work for your family, schedule a consultation with one of our speech therapists here.
At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.
