Our Journey to Speech Therapy
When Eloise said “Mama” at 8 months, I was jumping for joy. Not that it is a competition, but I’m 2 for 2 on the kids’ first word being mama. Then dada came, but nothing else. And eventually she stopped saying even those. By 12 months she didn’t have five words and it was brought up at our pediatrician appointment as something to keep an eye on. Then, at her 18 month appointment she still wasn’t talking, which led to an official diagnosis of speech delay and recommendation for therapy. We decided to give her some extra time because speech therapy felt dramatic and we know every baby meets milestones at their own pace.
But at 22 months, the final push that made us sign up was her growing frustration. She became increasingly angry because she couldn’t communicate. You could tell she knew exactly what she wanted to say. Her mind was there, but her physical ability to express it just wasn’t. We’ve learned a lot through our journey in speech therapy and I wanted to share it with other moms who may be in the same boat.
8 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Speech Therapy for My 2-Year-Old
- Early intervention is key
There’s no shame in your kid needing some extra help and extra tools to succeed. We’ve learned the earlier you start with these things, the better the outcomes and we wish we had started her at 18 months like recommended.
- Expect a waitlist
You may need to choose your second-choice facility to avoid delays. We were on a waitlist for six months. Ironically, as soon as we began with a new practice, our first choice called to say a spot had opened. We chose to stay where we had already started building a relationship. - Be prepared for an insurance nightmare
Even with a diagnosis and pediatrician referral, I spent three hours on the phone with insurance. After receiving a list of approved facilities, our claim was still denied. Thankfully, many places offer a cash-pay option. Ours was $70 per session. Weekly visits for a year add up, but it was absolutely worth it for our family and to give our daughter more tools to success. - Continue the work at home
Ask your therapist for one thing to practice between sessions. Progress happens much faster when you reinforce the lessons at home rather than relying on the once-a-week appointment. - Model words correctly
It’s adorable when Eloise says “hehhhh” instead of “yes,” and we loved her unique way of speaking so much that our family sometimes began to mimic it. We learned that modeling the correct pronunciation and tongue/lips placement is essential to help her develop proper speech. - Don’t fill in the gaps for them
As a mom, you often become the best translator for your child as the only one who can understand what they’re trying to say in their own cute language. Instead of speaking on their behalf, encourage them to try again or clarify what they mean so they can build confidence and communication skills. - It’s a commitment
Appointments are short, but consistency is key. Time slots may not be convenient at first (everyone wants those after-work appointments), and they seem to sneak up on you each week. You may wonder what can really be accomplished in 30 minutes, but the commitment truly pays off. - It isn’t a quick fix
Building a strong language foundation takes time. We first worked on the desire to communicate before moving on to vocabulary and articulation. Eloise has now been in speech therapy for over a year and we have seen such progress.
Pride in Progress
One of my favorite parts of speech therapy has been seeing her own pride in her progress, her eagerness to communicate and listening in on THE most adorable conversations she can now have with her 5-year-old sister. I’m so glad I took progress videos along the way and captured every adorable mispronunciation so we can look back on how far she has come. There are still a few things she says that I will honestly miss when they are corrected but we are so proud of Eloise and have found speech therapy to be so worth it.
