How Was Speech Therapy?

Parents often want to know about their child’s speech therapy progress after each session.

As parents, one of the first questions we ask after a therapy session is:

“How did it go?”

The answer should be more than “good” or “we had a great session.”

Parents deserve meaningful information about their child’s progress while still receiving updates that are easy to understand and useful.

What Information Should Parents Receive After Speech Therapy?

Every speech-language pathologist has a different style of communication. My goal is to provide objective information that helps families understand what happened during the session.

For children receiving motor speech therapy, updates often include:

• Words and phrases practiced during therapy
• The level of support or prompting needed
• New speech movements that emerged
• Improvements in previously practiced words
• Goals for the next session

These details help families see progress over time and understand how speech skills are developing.

What Is Motor Speech Therapy?

Motor speech therapy focuses on helping children learn the movements needed for clear and consistent speech.

Children with conditions such as Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) often know what they want to say but have difficulty planning and coordinating the movements required to say those words accurately.

During therapy, we practice speech movements repeatedly while providing support that helps children experience success.

Why We Start With Easier Words

One of the first goals in motor speech therapy is building confidence.

Rather than beginning with difficult words, we often start with words that are:

• Highly motivating
• Functional for daily life
• Easier for the child to produce successfully

Early success helps children stay engaged and willing to try more challenging speech targets later.

Success creates momentum.

Should Parents Practice at Home?

Sometimes.

I only recommend home practice when a child has demonstrated enough success during therapy that practice is likely to be productive and confidence-building.

When home practice is appropriate, I provide clear guidance so families know exactly what to work on.

What Is a Brag Book?

For children attending therapy at North Star Pediatric Speech Therapy, a “brag book” or practice book often goes home after the first two to three sessions.

This book is built with the child and contains words they can already say successfully.

The purpose is not to focus on errors. Instead, it highlights strengths and gives children opportunities to experience success outside of therapy.

Families often enjoy seeing just how many words their child can already produce. It’s also an easy way to share speech therapy progress!

The Goal: Confidence and Communication

Whether a child continues therapy with me or with another speech-language pathologist, my goal remains the same:

Build confidence, establish strong motor speech foundations, and help families understand the progress their child is making.

When parents know what to look for, they become powerful partners in their child’s communication journey.