Hearing that your child has a speech disorder can be overwhelming and heartbreaking, and it means that you have to get a speech therapist for them.

However, with so many people practicing speech therapy, finding the perfect one can be harder than you expected.

About Speech Therapist

Every speech therapist must have ‘SLP’ after their name, which means speech-language pathologist. Just like all other medical professionals, they have to get a speech language pathology license to practice.

Different states have different requirements and processes that speech therapists have to follow to get their licenses. However, most are uniform, and a speech therapist from one state could work in another state.

How To Choose The Right Speech Therapist

Consider their training and experience

Go with a speech therapist who has a speech-language pathology license and a certification from the American Speech-language Hearing Association. Some places like Speech Pathology Graduate Programs can also certify you.

That means that they took and passed their national exams, graduated from accredited programs, and finished their one-year clinical fellowship.

Different speech therapists have specialties in different areas, so you should ask your preferred therapist if they can handle your child’s needs.

It is also a good idea to consider the experience the speech therapist has. Ask them how long they have been in practice and how many cases they have dealt with that are similar to your child’s.

They should consider you as an intervention partner

Good speech therapists understand that the time they spend with your child is limited and that you are the one who spends a lot of time with them.

Therefore, they understand that it will help the child to feel comfortable. They should also include you in the decision-making process and ask you about some of the things that your child seems to enjoy.

Your therapist should observe to determine what is important to you, then wait and let you talk about what you want for your child, and respond to show that they understand you.

When your child sees that you and the speech therapist communicate freely, they also feel relaxed and comfortable during sessions.

Should be friendly with your child

This is one of the most important qualities because a friendly therapist helps your child feel comfortable and easy during sessions. When your child is not relaxed or easy during sessions, they have trouble learning.

Some behaviors of a friendly therapist include:

  • Asking them about their interests
  • Brings up ideas of having fun during sessions
  • Getting down on the floor to play with the child

Consider their treatment approach

There are different forms of speech problems, meaning that there are different treatment approaches. The speech therapist you choose should be able to understand the speech problem of your child and come up with the best treatment approach for them.

Consider how easy it is to make appointments or reschedule

Once you have found a speech therapist you are willing to work with, you should consider how easy it is going to be for you to secure an appointment. Look for a therapist who is flexible and is willing to shift your appointment to a more convenient time for you.

Once you find the therapist you want to work with, you should be open with them about some concerns with your child’s speech. You should also always update them about the positive progress.