COMMUNICATION

What can I do while waiting for speech therapy?

Waiting for speech-language services can leave parents in an uncomfortable middle ground.

You know you want support, but your appointment may still be weeks or months away.

You do not need to become your child’s speech therapist while you wait.

There are simple ways to make everyday interactions more supportive of communication without turning home into a therapy session.

Here’s what this can mean

Being on a waitlist does not mean you have to choose between doing nothing and trying to recreate professional therapy on your own.

A useful place to start is with responsive interaction: noticing what your child is communicating, responding to it, and adding language that fits the moment.

The goal is not to drill words.

It is to make communication easier to notice, easier to participate in, and more rewarding throughout ordinary family life.

What to do today

Notice communication before it becomes a word

A look, reach, point, sound, gesture, facial expression, sign, or action can all carry a message.

When your child communicates in one of those ways, respond as though it matters.

If they point toward the refrigerator, you might say:

“Snack?”

If they hand you a closed container, you might say:

“Help.”

If they pull you toward the door, you might say:

“Outside.”

You are giving language to a message they already started.

Keep your language easy to hear

You do not need to narrate everything.

Choose a few useful words that match what your child is focused on.

During bath:

“Water in.”

“Wash feet.”

“More bubbles.”

During dressing:

“Shirt on.”

“Sock off.”

“Other foot.”

Short language gives your child a clear model without asking them to perform.

Leave space for their turn

After you say something, pause.

You do not need to count dramatically or stare at your child waiting for a word.

Just leave enough room for them to do something next.

Their turn may be a word.

It may also be a gesture, movement, look, sound, sign, or action.

Respond to the communication you get.

Use routines you already have

You do not need to schedule a separate communication activity.

Meals, getting dressed, bath, books, play, and getting out the door already contain dozens of natural opportunities.

Choose one routine and one strategy.

That is enough to start.

What to say

At breakfast:

Child reaches toward banana.

You:“Banana.”

Child reaches again.

You:“More banana.”

During play:

Child rolls a ball toward you.

You:“Ball!”

You roll it back.

You:“My turn.”

During bath:

Child points at bubbles.

You:“Bubbles.”

Pause.

Child reaches.

You:“More bubbles.”

What not to overthink

You do not need flashcards.

You do not need to make your child sit at a table.

You do not need to make them repeat every word you model.

And you do not need to practice all day.

A few intentional moments inside routines you already share can be a much more realistic place to begin.

When professional help may be appropriate

Keep any evaluation, pediatrician, early-intervention, audiology, or speech-language appointments you already have planned.

If new concerns arise while you are waiting, bring them to the appropriate healthcare professional rather than waiting for the original appointment.

That is especially important if your child loses skills they previously had or if you have concerns about hearing, feeding, swallowing, or other areas of development.

Home strategies can support communication.

They are not a replacement for an individualized professional evaluation when one is needed.