Early intervention speech therapy for kids can help improve your child’s communication skills. This may involve a therapist using toys and visual guides to encourage verbal and nonverbal communication.

Getting your child’s speech evaluated is the first step in finding out if you need early intervention services. You can get your child evaluated by a pediatrician or licensed SLP. It’s important to be open-minded and prepared to discuss your concerns.

Once your child has been diagnosed, the therapist will help develop a plan that will benefit your child’s needs. The goal is to help your child catch up to their peers. Your therapist will be able to identify any delays in development and determine the most effective ways to improve your child’s communication.

The Early Intervention program is free to families living in New York. It provides services for children from birth to age three. Families may choose to receive services in a classroom setting or at home.

How to Prepare Your Child For Speech Therapy Sessions

When you are getting started with your child’s therapy, keep in mind that it will take time. While you can do many activities at home to help your child, you’ll need to be consistent to see results.

You can find more information about the various activities involved in early intervention speech therapy on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association website. A licensed SLP can also answer questions based on the evaluation.

If your child does not meet the eligibility criteria for the early intervention services, you will need to request a re-evaluation. After a re-evaluation, the speech-language pathologist will create an individualized treatment plan. These plans usually include goals, support, and services.