Tips for Speech Pathologists in Early Intervention

Keeping things simple is an effective way for Speech therapy! Here are some tips to get you started especially during the early interventions:

1. The power of positioning:

Manipulating the therapy environment by utilising a high chair and/or child-sized chairs and a table creates optimal space for focus and attention. Young children are easily distracted by their environment and this will eliminate any focusing issues.

2. Always make your own assessment:

Before you enter a client’s home, you should prepare and be aware of your evaluations and review the speech and language goals. It is best suggested to make your own clinical judgments after your first meeting. While talking to their family, ask about their child’s strengths and what usually motivates them. Understanding the personal goals of their child and helping them feel part of the process will be ideal for the family.

3. Wait for it!

Sometimes, communication happens in the gaps between conversational exchanges. Waiting a few extra seconds can be the strategy a child needs to say a word that they have been working on for weeks. As pathologists, we are always speaking, however, the power of silence can really pay off.

4. Inexpensive items go the way:

Items such as bubbles or springs are a cheap yet multi-use tools for facilitating speech therapy. They help the child to work on bilabial words such as pop and bubbles, requesting objects and imitating actions. Such objects create an environment of joint attention between client and therapist.

5. Make silly sounds:

Sound making is so much fun for children in early intervention. Making loud sounds such as expressions or animal sounds can attract the attention of the client.