The benefits of searching for “speech therapy near me”

Picture this: you just attended your two-year-old’s annual check up, and your pediatrician says that your child has a developmental delay, has autism, or recommends speech services. You clearly want to do everything you can to help your child, so the first thing you do is head to Google and search “speech therapy near me.” While there are many benefits to working within your local community, one major consideration is that a speech-language pathologist (SLP) can provide in-home therapy.

In-home speech therapy involves a SLP providing therapy services within a patient's home and utilizing the child’s natural surroundings. This setting can offer numerous benefits and may be especially appropriate for certain populations. 

One benefit includes faster progress due to easier access to therapy.  When therapy is conducted in your own home, families are less likely to cancel or forget to attend a session.  In addition, having the child in a familiar setting can reduce anxiety and make the patient more comfortable and open to therapy.  This allows for more trials and consistent practice on goals, ensuring increased progress in communication skills. Furthermore, patients do not need to travel, which is particularly beneficial for those with mobility issues or transportation challenges. Appointments can often be more flexible and accommodating to the patient’s and family’s schedule. 

Another benefit includes contextual relevance.  Interventions can be directly related to the patient’s daily routines and home environment, which can enhance generalization of skills.  Family members can easily participate in sessions, observe techniques, and carry over strategies into daily routines. These factors highly increase the effectiveness of therapy and ensure progress.

Lastly, one unexpected benefit of being at home during therapy is that the parent can even get extra chores done during therapy (e.g. do laundry, clean, prep meals, etc). We all know life gets busy and attending therapy sessions for your child takes up a lot of time and energy.  In-home therapy can allow a caregiver to multitask and feel productive all while your child is learning new phrases like “I love you!”