A Day in the Life of an SLP at Better Learning Therapies
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
Our speech-language pathologists (SLPs) believe that effective communication is a human right and should be accessible and achievable for every child. (ASHA) They assess, diagnose, and treat a variety of speech and communication disorders in children.
Some of the areas our SLPs help with include:
If you feel your child is not obtaining developmental milestones as they should be, please don’t wait and see!
At Better Learning Therapies, we have the skills and knowledge to assess all areas of early childhood development. Children who start therapy before they're 5 years old tend to have better results than those who begin later. This doesn't mean that older kids won't do well in therapy, though!
Better Learning Therapies strives to create a warm and encouraging environment for your child to improve their speech, language, feeding, social, and motor skills. Our goal is to provide Therapy on Your Level by providing a customized therapy plan tailored specifically to the challenges your child is experiencing.
What does an SLP do on a daily basis?
8:00 AM Preparation
The first step in every SLP’s day is preparation. Before it’s time to see clients, there are a number of things to accomplish:
Gather all therapy tools, paperwork, and activities
Ensure the therapy area is in order and properly stocked
Review the day’s client list and corresponding client treatment plans
Confer with colleagues as necessary on particular cases before the client arrives
8:30 AM to 11:30 AM Client Sessions
The majority of the day for our SLPs is spent in individual client sessions. These sessions might involve an evaluation or reevaluation, working on therapy goals, or consulting with parents and other family members. This is where the magic happens!
If you dropped in on a therapy session you might notice we have graduate students learning how to be incredible therapists. They may be observing, helping with a session, or running a session. Why does Better Learning Therapies take graduate student placements? There are many reasons! We’re committed to the values of Education, Treatment, and Opportunity for our clients, employees, and community. Supervising a student intern is a unique experience that allows us to bring fresh ideas to our clinic. Not only are we helping to shape a young clinical mind, but it is a great way for us to learn about the latest research and trends in our fields. This is just one of the ways we deliver on our promise of “Therapy on Your Level.”
11:30 AM to Noon Updating Paperwork and Preparing for the Afternoon
When our SLPs have some time between sessions, they catch up on treatment notes from the day, make phone calls, and answer emails. They may also work on creating materials for clients to work on at home or research the best AAC device for a child.
Noon to 1:00 PM Lunch and Meetings
At Better Learning Therapies, we have team meetings regularly to discuss department changes, equipment and supply purchases, educational opportunities for therapists, and community events we’d like to participate in. Once or twice a month our SLPs also attend a “Lunch & Learn” in-service where we learn about an educational topic. Recently, we’ve had an LCSW talk to us about self-care as therapy providers and a music therapist talk about how to incorporate music therapy principles into care.
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM client Sessions
In the afternoon there are more treatment sessions! SLPs take time to collaborate with the client’s family members, demonstrate exercises and activities, explain how to accommodate their needs, and make recommendations regarding beneficial changes to be made to the client’s living environment.
5:00 PM to 5:30 PM Clean Up, Document, and Prepare for Tomorrow!
At the end of a busy and productive day, our SLPs take a few minutes to clean up the treatment rooms, finish documentation, and prepare for tomorrow’s therapy sessions!
What do our SLPs love about their work?
“For me, the magic of speech therapy with children exists in sharing joy with parents. Many times I've seen parents stressed and anxious about their children's health and futures. When we work together with a targeted goal and clear expectations, parents gain confidence to become the facilitators of the progress their children make in treatment sessions.” - Ashley
“I love seeing the lights come on in a child's eyes when they get the target for the first time. I also love working with parents and seeing how much a difference what we do as speech-language therapists makes in the whole family.” - Heather
How do you get your child started with speech therapy?
Setting up an evaluation is easy!
Clients are typically referred by a physician or other agency for outpatient services. In some cases, patients may self-refer, particularly if they are planning to pay out-of-pocket. We can help you determine if you need a referral for an evaluation.
To talk with one of our office staff about your concerns about your child, please give us a call at 801-217-3900 or email us at info@betterlearningthearpies.com.
