In Home vs. Clinic Speech Therapy: What Parents Should Know

If you are looking for speech therapy for your child, one of the first questions you may have is where therapy should actually take place.

Should you bring your child to a clinic? Is therapy at home an option? Does one setting work better than another?

At Little Sunflowers, we provide in home speech and language therapy because we love being able to work with young children in an environment where they already feel comfortable.

But every child and every family is different.

Here are a few things to consider when deciding what might work best for yours.

What is in home speech therapy?

It is pretty much exactly what it sounds like.

Instead of bringing your child to a clinic each week, the speech language pathologist comes to your home.

Therapy can happen in the living room, playroom or another familiar space using toys, books, activities and routines that are already part of your child's life.

For infants, toddlers and young children especially, I find there can be something really valuable about working on communication in the same environment where so much of their communication happens every day.

Your child is already comfortable

Walking into an unfamiliar office can take some getting used to, especially for a toddler or young child.

At home, we're meeting your child in a place they already know.

Their toys are there. Their favorite books are there. You are there.

That allows us to spend our time playing, interacting and working toward your child's communication goals in a way that can feel very natural.

We can work on communication during real life activities

One of my favorite things about in home therapy is that we can work with things your child actually encounters every day.

If we're working on requesting, maybe we're using a favorite toy.

If we're building vocabulary, we can use the toys, books and objects your child already loves.

If we're working on following directions, taking turns or expressing wants and needs, we can practice those skills through familiar play and routines.

The goal isn't just for your child to use a skill during a therapy session.

We want those communication skills to become useful throughout their everyday life.

Parents can be part of the process

Your child's speech therapy session is important.

But the rest of their week matters too.

In home therapy gives parents and caregivers an opportunity to see what we're doing, ask questions and learn simple strategies that can be incorporated into everyday interactions.

You don't need to turn your home into a therapy room or spend hours practicing.

Sometimes it's as simple as changing how we play with a favorite toy, read a book or respond when your child is trying to communicate.

Those little moments add up.

And yes, it's also more convenient

This part matters too.

Families are busy.

Between work, siblings, school, naps, activities and everything else that happens during the week, getting a young child to another appointment can be a lot.

With in home therapy, you don't have to pack everyone into the car, drive to an office, wait for the appointment and drive home again.

We come to you.

For many of the families we work with in Merrick and surrounding Nassau County communities, that can make speech therapy much easier to fit into family life.

When might a clinic make more sense?

In home therapy isn't necessarily the right choice for every child.

Some children may benefit from services or resources available in a clinic setting. A clinic may offer specialized equipment, group opportunities or other services that aren't available through an individual in home provider.

Some families may also simply prefer having therapy happen outside their home.

The important thing is finding an approach that makes sense for your child's needs and your family.

What does in home therapy with Little Sunflowers look like?

Our sessions are personalized around your child.

We don't arrive with the expectation that every child should sit at a table and complete the same activities.

For young children especially, therapy is often play based.

We may use toys, books, games and everyday interactions to work on your child's individual communication goals.

Depending on your child's needs, that might include building vocabulary, combining words, producing speech sounds more clearly, understanding language, expressing thoughts and needs, or developing social communication skills.

And because we're working in your home, we can help you understand how to continue supporting those skills between sessions.

What does in home speech therapy cost?

Little Sunflowers is a private pay practice.

A one hour speech and language evaluation is $200.

Individual therapy sessions are $100 for 30 minutes or $125 for 45 minutes.

We also offer a free phone consultation before you get started.

Is in home speech therapy right for my child?

You don't need to know the answer before contacting us.

If you're concerned about your child's speech or language development, we can start with a conversation.

Tell us what you're noticing.

Maybe your toddler isn't using as many words as you expected. Maybe your child is difficult for other people to understand. Maybe they're getting frustrated trying to communicate. Or maybe you've already had an evaluation and still aren't sure what to do next.

We'll listen to your concerns, answer your questions and help you determine whether an evaluation or additional support may be appropriate.

Looking for in home speech therapy in Merrick, NY?

Little Sunflowers Speech & Language provides personalized, play based pediatric speech and language therapy for infants, toddlers and children in Merrick and surrounding Nassau County communities.

And the best first step is an easy one.

Schedule a free phone consultation and tell us a little about your child.

Schedule a Free Consultation

(516) 668-1445