Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and language therapy at Boston Children's Hospital is a short-term service that provides our patients with intervention and resources to support communication development. Our mission is to provide our patients with the highest quality care for their speech and/or language difficulties, as well as provide education and support to parents and guardians regarding their child’s needs.

Speech-language therapy at Boston Children’s Hospital has a maximum length of 12 months. Every three to six months, your child’s progress and current needs will be reviewed. Expectations taken into consideration when extending therapy at each of these progress intervals will include steady gains in speech and language skills, participation in scheduled therapy sessions, and use of home carry-over materials. Prior to and at the time of discharge, your provider will discuss options for transition from our services, including suggestions in the community if longer-term therapy is needed. 

Together we will work toward determined goals designed to maximize communication skills over the next few months. During the first two scheduled treatment sessions, your Boston Children’s therapy provider will informally assess current skill levels and ascertain if this setting is the most appropriate for your child. This will occur regardless of if your child was evaluated here at Boston Children’s or at another facility.

Supplementary materials or activity suggestions for home use with your child will be provided by your clinician. These will be designed to reinforce therapy goals and encourage carry-over of learned speech and language skills. Please consider these games and activities your child’s homework and a necessary part of participation in therapy.

Regular attendance is critical in order to ensure that your child’s communication skills improve as much and as quickly as possible. We require 24-hour notice of cancellation of an appointment. Please note that we appreciate that illness and family situations may arise that will result in patients needing to cancel an appointment. However, if a patient has missed/canceled three appointments in a 30-day period, we will initiate a review of the circumstances to determine if the patient should be discharged from therapy. Parents and guardians can also choose to terminate services at any time for any reason.

Boston Children’s Hospital does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, disability, age, or ancestry. We strive to provide care sensitive to culture, race, religion, gender, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, source of payment, and national origin.

If you have any questions, please ask the clinician for clarification prior to your appointment.