How do pediatric speech therapy and occupational therapy work for children?

Both speech-language pathology and occupational therapy start with an assessment, followed by goals agreed with your family and regular sessions built around play and everyday tasks. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help with speech, language and swallowing. Occupational therapists (OTs) help children take part in daily activities such as self-care, play, handwriting and school tasks, and can also address sensory, feeding and self-regulation challenges.

What the process usually involves:

• Assessment: an SLP listens to how your child makes sounds and watches how their mouth moves; an OT looks closely at a difficult task to work out why it is hard.

• Goals: both professions work in a child- and family-centred way, balancing your priorities with your child's needs.

• Therapy sessions: OTs often use play to build skills. For speech sounds, an SLP may help a child learn the correct way to make a sound, then practise it in words, sentences and stories.

• Home practice: practice between sessions matters, so expect coaching and ideas to use at home.

• Review: therapists check over time whether the plan is working and adjust it.

In BC, children from birth to school entry may be eligible for the publicly funded Early Intervention Therapy program, which offers occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech-language pathology. Families can also choose a private clinic.

If you have concerns about your child's communication or everyday skills, contact a registered speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist to talk about whether an assessment is the right next step.