Considerations for a Speech Therapy Home Program

In establishing home programs and activities therapists need to consider the following:

1. Practice on a daily basis is the most efficient/effective way to improve articulation, language, feeding or communication goals.

2. Because families of children with special needs are busy and experience significant stress, therapy activities to be carried out at home should be simple, time efficient, cost efficient, and motivating for the child. In addition to regular daily activities, families of children with special needs often have physician appointments, and other therapy appointments. Caregivers are much more likely to provide the child with practice at home or school if techniques are simple, detailed and quick.

3. Children must be motivated by treatment activities provided with your home programs. If the activities are not perceived as “fun,” children will not engage in the activity, and the practice will not occur, as it will become burdensome for caregivers.