POWER TO THE PARENTS
When your child has been rejected for free services, it doesn’t mean you can’t help your child.
Following a complete multidisciplinary evaluation, a child might show slight delays, but is functioning within normal limits, and therefore, rejected from receiving therapy. Here it is appropriate to carry on with typical language rich activities that will foster learning and language and speech skills.
However, sometimes the delays (gaps) are just not enough to warrant services through the city agencies, or there are delays present, but skill sets are observed which indicate positive predictors for communication and language skills to soon emerge. In these cases, it is imperative for parents to foster these emerging skills.
Train the Parent model
I offer an invaluable service as another option to on-going therapy. This service is part of the “Train the Parent” model. It includes reading your child’s evaluation packet and writing a comprehensive, individualized, parent – managed, treatment plan for enhancing your child’s communication and language skills.
The number of home visits is finite; I will visit twice. I work with both child and parent/s, with an emphasis on teaching the parent/s methods for modeling and eliciting communication skills during normal daily activities. I will teach routines that enhance and work with the emerging skills noted in your evaluations.
At the follow up visit, I will work with and observe the parent/s implementing these routines into the child’s everyday life. I will suggest tips and advice, further tailoring the plan for your child.
By learning these skills, parents will learn how to advance the skills already present and to model appropriate language and play skills for promoting further growth.