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It All Starts with the Evaluation<\/strong><\/p>\n For those new to therapy, the process starts with an evaluation to assess your child\u2019s current skills and how they compare to age-matched peers. After receiving the evaluation report, schedule a call with the clinician to ensure you understand and agree with the findings. The report should provide a clear picture of your child\u2019s strengths and areas for growth.<\/p>\n Ask the clinician to clarify the top priority goals and how they will be addressed, including whether they will focus on one or two goals at a time or multiple. Also, ask which goals are suitable for you to work on at home.<\/p>\n Materials!<\/strong><\/p>\n Once your child\u2019s therapy goals are clear and they\u2019ve built a good relationship with their therapist, ask for simple, affordable materials to use at home, such as games, toys, or exercises. Choose fun items that make speech therapy enjoyable\u2014these are likely the same activities their therapist uses to keep them engaged. Using familiar materials at home will help reinforce therapy goals. Let your child help pick the materials so they feel involved in the process. If cost is a concern, look into non-profits like Small Step<\/a>s in Speech, which offer small grants to support therapy services or materials.<\/p>\n Progress Reports<\/strong><\/p>\n School districts usually provide progress notes every six months or more often. Be sure to review these reports carefully, just like any other school report. If something doesn\u2019t match what you\u2019re seeing at home, or if you think there\u2019s room for improvement, reach out to your child\u2019s therapist and schedule a quick meeting. With over 20 years of experience, I can assure you that these conversations are important for your child\u2019s progress and won\u2019t be seen as overly demanding.<\/p>\n Achieving Goals and Sustaining Progress<\/strong><\/p>\n Happily, your child will make significant progress and move on to more challenging and meaningful goals. As a parent or family member, you are a key player in solidifying those gains and making them habitual in your child\u2019s speech and language. Think of your therapist as the leader, and you as the one who supports and strengthens the skills they have taught. While this is a vast topic covered in our Speech Buddies blog series, the underlying recommendation is to be consistent in follow-up exercises. Even a small daily commitment, like five minutes almost every day, can significantly help maintain the skills learned during therapy. Find a part of your family routine\u2014like your commute, dinner time, or a homework reward\u2014and designate it as your \u201cspeech practice time.\u201d The key is to make it both convenient and consistent.<\/p>\n Congratulations on starting your child\u2019s school-based speech therapy! These services are key to your child\u2019s development and play an important role in their future. While the impact of therapy can vary, following the tips above will help you get the most out of it and have a positive effect on your child\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Gordy Rogers, M.S. CCC-SLP,\u00a0 & Speech Buddies Co-Founder\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.speechbuddy.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/1D71C04A-1552-4485-8959-764CF37ED0D1.jpeg\")
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