Adventures in Speech Therapy, Part 2 (Or, Life Lessons in Speech Therapy)

As you may have read in my previous post, I am taking my 8-year-old to speech therapy at a private firm in my town. It has been a great experience so far, and my husband and I can see not only changes in her articulation, but as a result, we’re also seeing some of her shyness disappear, as she is more likely to speak up. The fear of being picked on about her speech by those who don’t know her is starting to disappear.

Here are some lessons that I’ve learned as she is going through speech therapy. Some of these lessons can be applied to life in general.

1. Proper speech and articulation involve forming a habit. This can be applied to not only how you say something, but also what you say (and with what attitude). When my daughter gets upset or overly excited, the poor articulation has a way of sneaking back in. Using proper language helps you keep your cool, and think about what you say before the words escape your mouth.

2. Have your child tested by a professional whose opinion you value. Trust your instincts when you think something doesn’t seem right about an evaluation. After all, you are your child’s only advocate if you are a homeschooler. Remember, free (i.e., public school services) is not always better.

3. Trying to help your child on your own doesn’t always work if there is a physical problem. Sometimes, the problem is bigger than you are. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help.

4. Finally, if you use private speech services, make sure your therapist knows how to work with your insurance company. Because my daughter was tongue-tied and needed a frenectomy (a condition that was present at birth), our insurance covers part of her therapy. It’s greatly reduced our cost.

Read Part 1 of this post to see why we chose private speech therapy services instead of using the public school system.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."