Have you thought about getting your child in speech therapy, but not sure when the right time is for you to initiate the process? Let's talk first about what a Speech Therapist or Speech-Language Pathologist is and the types of concerns they can address.
Speech Therapists are trained to assess and treat speech/language disorders as well as feeding and swallowing disorders. Speech therapists can treat all ages from birth to geriatrics. For the purpose of this blog, let's stick to the kiddos. In regards to speech, this includes issues such as late talkers, unintelligible speech, sound errors in speech, or language delays. In regards to feeding, this can include issues in with breast or bottle feeding in infancy, difficulty starting solids, signs of stress or aspiration during the swallow, feeding aversions, or limited food repertoire.
So, when is the best time to schedule an appointment with the speech therapist? If you are noticing delays or difficulty in your child's speech/language skills, or they are struggling during feeding times, don't delay. Early intervention is always best. It's always easier to address these concerns early, rather than waiting until the issues worsen or bad habits begin to form.
Our clinic, Little Ones, Infant and Pediatric Therapy is located in Lubbock, TX. We offer both in person and tele therapy visits. We offer speech and feeding therapy, as well as lactation support. We also offer prenatal feeding consultations where we will discuss breastfeeding and bottle feeding for your infant. We will always perform an initial consultation first before beginning therapy. We always try to be as transparent as possible with our families regarding results of evaluations, recommended care plans, and progress made. If we feel that your child is right on track with their speech/language or feeding skills, we will initiate an evaluation only and no therapy. We always try to be mindful of your time and resources and never want to initiate therapy if it isn't warranted. The amount of time your child will need therapy is always dependent on a case by case basis. We generally like to see our patients at least 1x/wk during the course of therapy. If you're interested in scheduling a consultation fill out our contact form, or give us a call at (806) 370-0851.