How Often Should Speech Therapy Come To You

With approximately 1 in 6 people in the United States having some type of communication disorder, many people seek out help from a speech therapist each year. When starting speech therapy, people often wonder how often should you go to speech therapy sessions. This is a valid question considering that speech therapy involves time, energy, and commitment. But there is no one-size-fits-all frequency plan for speech therapy. How often a person should attend varies from person to person. However, there are some key factors that can influence the frequency. 

Why does frequency matter in speech therapy?

The frequency of speech therapy sessions plays an important role in how quickly and effectively progress is made. Having too few sessions can lead to stagnation, while too many sessions can cause fatigue or burnout. This is especially true for younger clients. The right balance allows for regular practice, feedback from a speech-language pathologist (SLP), and time to incorporate the learned strategies into everyday life. 

Factors that Influence How Often You Should Attend Speech Therapy

There are multiple factors that your SLP will consider when recommending how often sessions should occur. Some of these include:

Age of Client

• Young children often have shorter attention spans. Because of this, they may benefit from shorter, more frequent sessions. However, adults may benefit from longer, more intensive sessions depending on the nature of their speech and language difficulties. 

Type of Speech and Communication Difficulty 

• Speech therapy is a treatment for a variety of speech disorders and communication difficulties. Some common reasons for speech therapy include:
  • Articulation Disorders
  • Language Delays
  • Phonological Disorders
  • Social Communication (Pragmatics) Struggles
  • Fluency issues such as stuttering

The nature of the speech and communication disorder or delay will affect the therapy frequency. Each condition requires a unique therapy approach. A child who is working on a simple articulation issue may need fewer sessions than an adult recovering from severe aphasia after a stroke. 

Severity of the Condition

• A speech issue that is mild may only require periodic check-ins and guidance from an SLP. More complex issues often require more frequent and intensive therapy to build and reinforce the skills effectively. 

Stage of Therapy

• In the beginning stage of therapy, having sessions more often may be necessary to establish a strong foundation of routine. As progress is made, sessions may taper off to focus more on the maintenance and incorporation of those skills into everyday life. 

Client Motivation and Participation

• A client who is motivated to improve and practices regularly between sessions may not need speech therapy as often as someone who only practices during their sessions or is not cooperative while there. 

Family and Caregiver Involvement

• Family and caregiver involvement can have a significant and positive impact on the outcome of therapy. This is especially the case for children. The involvement allows for more opportunities and support to practice skills learned in therapy. Oftentimes, this can also lead to fewer overall sessions required.

Signs That Therapy Frequency Needs Adjusting 

As therapy progresses, there are regular check-ins and evaluations with an SLP. Some signs that the frequency may need to be adjusted are as follows:

• If progress is slower than expected, more frequent sessions may be suggested.
• If the client seems overwhelmed or tired, shorter, less-intense sessions can help. 
• When tools and techniques have been taught, but the individual needs to practice in their everyday life, sessions may be less frequent. 

The Role of at Home Practice 

Practicing and using the skills learned in therapy is one of the most important things that can be done to enhance speech therapy effectiveness. Individuals who practise their skills regularly in their everyday lives will often make faster progress with fewer sessions.

Tips for home practice

• Make practice fun and engaging. This is especially helpful for kids.
• Keep practice sessions short and frequent.
• Incorporate practice into daily routines.
• Track practice and keep SLP informed of difficulties and progress.

Speech Therapy with Great Speech

At Great Speech, we believe that everyone deserves to communicate with confidence. Our speech therapy programs are completely virtual, improving access to top-tier services, regardless of your location. We have a fantastic blog post titled “How Effective is Virtual Speech Therapy” that outlines the benefits of online speech therapy. 

To get started with our services, schedule a free introductory call. From there, you will be matched with an SLP who fits your individual needs and goals. After a thorough evaluation, they will curate a unique treatment plan to fit those requirements.  

While every speech therapy plan is individualized, many of our speech-language pathologists will recommend a treatment plan of 12 weeks of modules that include two 30-minute sessions each week. As noted above, frequency may be updated depending on the individual circumstances. Since our services are virtual, changing the frequency of sessions is easier as you are not as tied down to time and location as you would be with traditional in-person therapy. 

If you or a loved one could benefit from speech therapy with Great Speech, Book an Appointment to get started!