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Your child’s speech-language pathologist (SLP) should provide you with activities to do at home to encourage your child’s progress. If not, ask the SLP for “homework.” If your child needs help with individual sounds, work on helping him master those sounds before moving on to syllables and whole words.
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The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides for free speech therapy within the public school system to all children who have a qualifying disability. But what if your child isn’t even in school yet? If you have a child under the age of three and you suspect that he might have a speech disorder, you can have him evaluated and treated with the Early Intervention program.
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When you first begin to research speech therapy and speech disorders, chances are you will come across some misguided information. You might hear that your child will likely grow out of his speech disorder, that you should never use “baby talk” with an infant, or that living in a bilingual household is detrimental to your child’s language development. When in doubt, never hesitate to ask your child’s speech therapist about these issues.
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After your child is diagnosed with a speech disorder, you’ll likely spend your days looking for a speech therapist, going to IEP meetings, and Googling his speech disorder with every spare minute you have. Raising a child with special needs is a full-time job in itself. If you have more than one child, you’ll also likely need to help the sibling cope with the fact that his little brother or sister has a speech disorder.
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Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a child who qualifies for special education requires an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This is a written treatment plan that describes your child’s speech therapy needs and how they will be met within the public school system. After your child is evaluated by an interdisciplinary team of professionals, you will receive a notice for an IEP meeting. During this meeting, the team will discuss your child’s needs and write his IEP if he is eligible for special education.
