Before Starting Speech Therapy: A Parent's Preparation Guide

Before Starting Speech Therapy: A Parent’s Preparation Guide

Feel ready, not overwhelmed, before your child’s first speech therapy appointment.

Maybe your pediatrician brought up a speech delay. Maybe you’ve noticed your child is frustrated because they can’t get their words out. Either way, you probably have a lot of questions and aren’t sure where to start.

This 32-page printable guide walks you through it step by step: what happens at the evaluation, how to read the report, what AAC really is, and how to support your child’s communication at home between sessions.

Inside you’ll find:

✔ The basics: what speech therapy is, how communication develops and what a speech-language pathologist actually does

✔ First appointment prep: a goal planner, a checklist of what to bring and tips for helping your child feel comfortable

✔ Evaluation guidance: what to expect on the day, plus plain-language explanations of the terms in the report

✔ The truth about AAC: why it supports speech instead of replacing it, and signs it might help your child

✔ Questions to ask after every session: so you know what the therapist worked on and how to practice at home

✔ Home Practice Tracker and New Words Tracker: a quick way to see progress add up week by week

✔ Red flags: when to speak up, including when to call your doctor about lost skills

✔ School and insurance: how school and private therapy can work together, an insurance checklist, an authorization tracker and a note on Medicaid coverage for children

✔ Communication milestones: a general guide to what to look for, with links to the CDC milestone tracker

✔ First 30 Days Checklist, binder system, glossary and parent reflection pages

Perfect for: parents and caregivers of toddlers and young children who are starting speech therapy, waiting for an evaluation or wondering whether their child needs one.

Format: an instant-download PDF (8.5×11). Fill it in on screen or print it for a binder.

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This guide is for general information only and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed speech-language pathologist, physician or other qualified professional.