Advantages of In-Home Speech Therapy

Tuesday, November 28th, 2023

My name is Ashley and I have been a speech-language therapist for nine years now. In those nine years, I've worked in various settings, including schools (both public and private), clinics, hospitals, and home-health. Can you take a guess at my favorite setting to work in? If you guessed home-health, you're spot on! When it comes to deciding where your child should go for speech therapy, the setting can significantly impact your child’s progress and comfort levels. Providing therapy inside the home has many benefits that cater to the individual needs of your child, fostering a more conducive environment for learning and progress. Here are some advantages to in-home therapy:

Super Convenient

Life can be busy. I have one tiny little guy at home, and I can't imagine having more than just him to worry about. Imagine therapy sessions without the hassle of commuting or adhering to rigid schedules. In-home speech therapy eliminates travel time, making sessions more accessible and stress-free. You no longer need to rearrange your daily routines; instead, therapy integrates seamlessly into your busy life. There’s no need to cancel if you can’t get out of the house. Fewer missed therapy sessions mean more practice and continuous progress. This is a great option, especially if you have more than one child at home with you. The convenience of in-home therapy allows both you and your child to focus more on the therapeutic process without the external disruptions of adhering to a schedule.

Comfort Equals Confidence

Imagine being outside your home, surrounded by an unfamiliar environment and people. Maybe the lights are too bright, there’s too much color on the walls, or there’s excessive noise around you. Being in a different place other than home can be overwhelming for some children. The familiar surroundings of home provide a sense of comfort and security, significantly impacting the efficacy of speech therapy. Your child will feel more relaxed and at ease in an environment they know well, enabling them to open up more easily. This comfort fosters trust between the therapist and your child, facilitating faster rapport and connection, which then leads to progress.

Learning in a Familiar Environment

One standout advantage of in-home speech therapy is the ability to tailor sessions to your child’s unique environment. Therapists can directly observe and address specific challenges your child may face in their everyday life. This personalized approach allows for targeted interventions, creating a more practical and impactful learning experience. For many neurodiverse children, generalization of skills across all environments can be a challenge. They may learn something in the clinic with their therapist. But, when it comes time to do the same skill at home, they are unable to carry over what was previously learned in the clinic setting. In-home therapy allows for skills learned to be generalized into your child’s everyday life and the environments in which they are most frequently present.

Family Support and Involvement 

In-home sessions offer an excellent opportunity for you and even other family members to actively participate in the therapy process. You can observe and engage in the techniques and exercises recommended by your child’s therapist, providing invaluable support and reinforcement between sessions. Remember, your child’s therapist is with them maybe once or twice a week. But you are the one with your child seven days a week! Have you ever said, “My child won’t work with me, but they will work and listen to others!” By participating in therapy sessions and being present during therapy, your child will learn that you are also their teacher and available to support them. This collaborative approach empowers you to better understand and assist in your child’s progress, while allowing your child to see that you can help them too!

Generalization of Skills Into Natural Environment 

Practicing speech and language skills in a familiar environment promotes better generalization of these skills into daily life. Whether it's in the kitchen, living room, your child’s classroom, a park, or the backyard, applying learned techniques in real-life scenarios increases understanding and application of skills beyond the therapy session.

Take-Away

In-home speech therapy has many advantages over clinic-based therapy. In-home therapy provides convenience, brings comfort, and allows for skills to be easily generalized into your child’s everyday environment. By bringing therapy where your child feels comfortable, it builds confidence for growth and progress.

Little Sunshine Pediatric Therapy understands the importance of tailored, child-centered therapy and care. Contact us today to explore how our in-home speech therapy services can support your child in their speech and language journey!