The question of “How long will my child need therapy?,” is one we hear often in our practice – and it is a fair question! When our kids are in therapy and working toward a goal it is natural for us to want to know a possible end date.
Pediatric therapies, like the ones we offer at Beyond Speech Therapy Specialists, are an important part of helping children with developmental delays, disabilities, or injuries reach their full potential. Working closely with a pediatric therapist to develop a personalized plan that is tailored to your child’s unique needs and goals is key. However, the length of time that your child may need these therapies can vary greatly depending on their individual and specific needs.
It is also important to remember that every child is different, even those who share a similar diagnosis, so there are a few factors that affect the length of time they receive services.
When it comes to the therapies we provide, and the families we serve, there are a few things that will influence how long a child will be in therapy.
Severity of delay
The length of time a child receives services can greatly be affected by the severity of their specific delay. That severity will be determined during the evaluation process and is an important factor in the planning of therapies – what kinds and how often – that a child receives.
Your doctors and therapists are your best resource for understanding your child’s specific diagnosis, so never hesitate to ask questions! Your participation in the therapy process is so important!
How quickly children begin to receive services
In general, the younger a child is when they begin therapy, the more quickly they may progress and the less time they may need overall.
This is why it’s so important that kids have regular doctor visits and for parents to mention any concerns they are having about their child’s development. You are your child’s greatest advocate!
Early intervention can greatly affect the length of time a child receives services so reach out, speak up and make sure that any and all of your concerns about your child’s development are heard.
At home carryover from therapy sessions
Carryover, or how much work happens at home in between therapy sessions, is so influential on the length of a time a child will need therapy.
This is why at Beyond Speech we work in-home with our kiddos so that parents, caregivers and other family members can be a part of each session. This involvement means that the work we do during our therapy sessions can also be done throughout the days and weeks that we aren’t there!
Family involvement and support of pediatric therapy is crucial in helping kids meet their goals and do it quickly!
Regular therapy attendance
Just like working toward any other goal, regular practice makes a world of difference in how quickly you meet that goal!
The same goes for pediatric and developmental therapy. When a child receives regular and consistent therapy it is so much easier to measure progress and determine overall growth.
At Beyond Speech we work closely and partner with all our families to support the work and goals of the children we serve. It’s important that we see our kids regularly so we can ensure they are getting consistent practice and meet the goals they are working toward.
We are also committed to working with our families to schedule sessions around busy schedules and see our kids on a regular basis.
When a child is receiving pediatric and/or developmental therapies there can be a lot of questions, concerns and worries about what their journey will look like. But it’s important to remember that we, as therapists, are working right alongside you to help your child reach every goal and achieve their full potential.
While we’re not able to say exactly how long a child will need therapy, there are many things that can be done at home, and during therapy time, that directly affect timelines – the severity of the specific delay, how early interventions are put into place, how much at home carryover happens between sessions and if children are regularly attending their therapy sessions.
At Beyond Speech, our commitment is to your child’s success and we love working with our families to make sure each child reaches their goals!
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our private, in-home therapy services, contact us here or go to www.beyondspeech.co.
We’d love to support your child and family in any way we can!