What To Do If You Think Your Child Needs Speech Therapy

TLDR: Ask your pediatrician, ask a speech-language pathologist, reach out to your local school district or early intervention provider for your city or state.

A quick plug: Check out our other resources while you’re here - we have a blog full of reading lists, fun activities for sound practice, and even a few recipes. :)

Now, let’s dive in.

Look at free resources

Wondering about speech sounds and when to be concerned? Look at the norms for which speech sounds to expect by which ages.

Do you have more concerns on developmental milestones in general? Check out our list of favorite places to go for milestone expectations.

If you’re still concerned, ask for help

Talk to your pediatrician about your concerns and ask for referrals.

Talk to your local school district about your concerns, even if you homeschool or your child attends a private school. You can request a screening or evaluation and discuss your concerns.

If your child is under 3 years old, you can also reach out to your state’s early intervention provider and talk to a professional about your concerns or a potential evaluation.

You can also reach out to a speech-language pathologist. Many local private practices, Reach Speech Therapy included, offer free 15-minute phone consultations for parents, and this is an opportunity to discuss your concerns and if speech therapy in general, and then that specific speech therapist, are a good fit for your circumstances. Even if RST is not a fit, we ofter refer to local resources or other therapists who may be a better fit for your family’s needs.