When your child has been diagnosed with a language delay, perhaps the first question that comes to mind is, “Now what?” As a parent, you want to make sure you know what steps to take next. You want to move in a direction that will help your child learn to communicate more effectively and you want to move in this direction with confidence. You shouldn’t feel alone when looking for answers. Choosing the right therapist can help you begin to answer the “Now what?” question in a way that makes the most sense for your family and your child. So, a more specific question that could be answered is “What should I look for in a speech-language pathologist or therapist?”

If you are like most people, when you hear the term speech therapy or speech disorder, your first thought is of a child who demonstrates difficulty saying their “r” sound. However, the term speech disorder is much broader than just saying a few sounds correctly.