Are you nervous about your toddler starting speech therapy? Curious WHAT child-led therapy looks like or WHY it’s the best option for your child? Does it seem like the speech language pathologist working with your child is “just playing”?
If you have asked any of these questions, this post is for you!!
Child-led therapy is when the clinician follows your child’s lead while playing. They will often start by noticing what your child is interested in playing with during the session and incorporate therapy strategies within that play! For in-home speech-therapy, this can mean playing with toys the clinician brought or toys/items already at your house. The focus is on preferred activities and high interest toys and games.
The child is the LEADER! If they are playing with a toy kitchen, so is the clinician… if they decide to switch to throwing a ball, so does the clinician… if they decide to use that ball as a hat, so does the clinician!
WHY child-led therapy?
Children learn best when they are engaged and interested in what they are doing. We want the child to be intrinsically motivated and feel a sense of control over what they are doing in therapy. In my experience, therapy works so much better when the child is excited to play with the clinician and they are smiling, laughing and having fun! I love that the children I work with are excited when I knock on the door to start a session and are disappointed when therapy is over.
Although it might seem like the therapist is “just playing”, there is so much more going on behind the scenes! They are meeting your child where they are at and building on their language skills by modeling signs, gestures, words and/or phrases. They are incorporating strategic pauses to encourage your child to use their new language skills and utilizing repetition of concepts naturally throughout the session.
Play therapy is my preferred method for young children whether they are working toward saying their first words, using a communication device or practicing early speech sounds!
If you think your child would benefit from child-led therapy, reach out today for a FREE phone consultation!
AUTHOR: JESSIE KENSEY, M.S., CCC-SLP
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