Consultation for Parents
Are you concerned that your child has not yet started using real words or has not begun putting words together such as “more milk?” Do strangers have a hard time understanding your two or three year old? Does it seem like other children your child’s age speak better than he does? Does your young child stutter and you would like advice as to how best to help him at home? Are you certain that your child’s IEP goals are the best ones for him? Are you dissatisfied with your child’s progress in therapy? Is it possible to learn ways to help your child so that he may not need therapy?
Research has shown that children who have good communication skills are more successful socially and academically. Importantly, there is a lot parents can do to help their child progress. There are many strategies and techniques parents can use to advance their young children’s communication skills, from infancy to the time children are ready for kindergarten. The best part is that parents can learn to do this while casually interacting with their child. After all, parents are their child’s first therapists.
There are many options available to parents today. Parents can consult with their pediatrician, a speech pathologist, search for answer on the web, talk to their child’s preschool teacher or read books. But what is the best option? A consultation with Ms. Raz can help parents sift through all the information they have received and enable parents to take the direction that will be the most beneficial for their child.
FAQ
- Parents learn the fundamentals of normal speech and language development.
- Parents learn techniques to ensure that their preschool child develops strong communication skills.
- Parents learn fun games to help enhance the child’s developing vocabulary and speech.
Parents learn how to use toys and common household items to maximize their child’s language development. - Parents learn about the best apps, toys and materials to meet their developing child’s needs.
School IEPs can be confusing. Is the school’s plan the best one for your child? Is your child receiving enough therapy each week to meet the goals in a timely fashion? I help parents navigate the school’s bureaucracy and ensure that their child is getting the best services the school has to offer. We meet before your child’s scheduled IEP meeting to go over the school’s tests results. We discuss the best short and long term goals for your child so that you are prepared for the IEP meeting. I am happy to attend the IEP meeting to lend support to the parent and advocate for the child.
Parents who wish to seek out private speech therapy services may need assistance when selecting a speech pathologist. Ms. Raz no longer provides therapy. However, she helps parents select the best therapist to work with their child.
Are you dissatisfied with your child’s progress in therapy? Are you looking for an unbiased second opinion on a suggested treatment plans?
Ms. Raz is able to give an impartial assessment of the therapy options presented to parents. This can help parents select the speech therapist best suited to work with the child and the therapy plan that is the most appropriate.
The benefits of working with Ms. Raz:
You will:
- have the support and input of an experienced speech pathologist.
- get an unbiased second opinion if your child’s therapy plan or IEP is the best one for her.
- know the steps it will take to get from point A to point B in your child’s therapy program.
- understand how to help enhance your child’s communication skills.
- learn approaches and techniques that you can use at home to help your child.
- Get suggestions about apps, toys and materials that are well worth your hard-earned money.
Perhaps you are unsure if your child’s treatment plan is the best. Perhaps your child has been in therapy for a while and you are wondering why. Ms. Raz offers parents an objective review of their child’s therapy plan and the amount of time it should take to help him. She will offer solutions to helping your child move through therapy faster.
Absolutely. Knowing various techniques can help you help their child speak clearer, use a more varied vocabulary and expand his/her sentence structure.
Yes. Before a child is three, there are many ways parents can help their child. They simply need to know what to do. That is where a consultation becomes extremely helpful. Parents are given specific instruction in ways to help their child. Knowing what to do can be a cost savings in the long run. Your child may not need therapy or the time spent in therapy can be shorter.
Parents can easily teach their child how to say the “r,” “s” and “l” sounds using the Help Me Talk Right books. Parents can consult with me if they have any questions at any step of the programs. For those who have purchased the books, the first two consultations are free of charge.
If a child sometimes sounds like he/she is stuttering there are many ways parents can help him at home. Ms. Raz is able to offer treatment tips that may eliminate the need for therapy or shorten the time he may need to spend in therapy.
Yes. Some parents hire a consultant to help them with a specific issue. Many parents choose to continue working with their consultant after their initial goals are accomplished in order to keep up with their child’s continuing speech and language development!
How is coaching done over long distances? We can talk on the phone, Skype, or Facetime. If you are local (Arizona), we can meet in person, if you choose.
I have 40 years of experience working with the pediatric population. I am a regular contributor to the Phonological Disorders listserv, Linked-in groups, Twitter, and various other speech and language related sites. I am the author of the popular Help Me Talk Right books and Preschool Stuttering: What Parents Can Do.In addition to being the author of the popular Help Me Talk Right books, I am a contributor to the first and second editions of Caroline Bowen’s Speech Sound Disorders books. My articles have been published in various publications nationwide. I am a presenter in workshops on pediatric stuttering, phonological and language disorders and offers courses in continuing education for professionals.