Is Therapy Working?
Families often feel overwhelmed with the types of therapies and number of specialists available to support their child. They question what to prioritize, and how to spend their time and money.
Even the word therapy is confusing because it can be used for many types of professionals and services, all the with the goal of trying to improve a child’s functional behaviors, well-being, and quality of life.
Here are some common reasons for therapy, along with different types:
- Feeding, speech or language development
- Speech/language therapy
- Feeding therapy
- Music therapy
- Gross motor skills, coordination, strength, or balance
- Physical therapy
- Hippo therapy
- Aqua therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Fine motor skills, activities of daily living, or sensory processing
- Occupational therapy
- Hippo therapy
- Aqua therapy
- Recreational therapy
- Music therapy
- Vision therapy
- Concerns about emotions (anxiety, depression, life and family stressors, exposure to abuse, trauma, neglect) typically involve a counselor or psychologist who may provide any of the following (and more):
- Play Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Exposure Therapy
- Trauma Informed Therapy
- Concerns about learning and executive functioning
- Educational therapy
- Concerns about the impact of autism spectrum disorder (and other developmental delays) on functional everyday life
- Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA therapy)
- Social skills group therapy
- Parent and family therapy for child emotional and behavioral challenges
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
- Family therapy
No wonder families get overwhelmed when searching for the right therapy! Some therapies need to be individualized or one-to-one, others are in small groups. Some are short term, others long-term. Some are covered by insurance, and some are not. And some therapies listed above have more scientific support than others.
One of the most difficult questions that parents ask: How do I know if therapy is working?
The answer to this question can vary based on the type of therapy. But there are some basic considerations.
- You should notice some improvement in the initial concerns you had. It may be a slow process, but symptoms and problems should be getting better over time.
- If your child is learning new skills, you should see them trying and practicing those skills.
- If therapy goals are shared with you, they should be meaningful to your child’s daily life. And therapy goals need to be appropriate for your child’s age and abilities (not too easy, not too hard). Goals should change when they are met.
Talk with your child’s therapist!
If your child is under age 18, you should be able to meet with the therapist to ask questions and find ways to get involved with your child’s growth. Find out if you can spend time with the therapist to ask questions (without your child present). Depending on the type of therapy, this time might be limited (e.g., speech, occupational, or physical therapy). Other types of therapists can schedule a separate parent session (e.g., psychologists and counselors). Here are some important questions to ask the therapist:
- What are your child’s therapy goals and progress on those goals. Could you make suggestions about goals that could make everyday life better? For example, if therapy is focusing on social anxiety but you are most concerned about how anxiety is affecting sleep, be sure to mention that.
- If concerns are not getting better, ask the therapist about this. What do they think are obstacles or challenges?
- Ask about how you can reinforce and support growth at home. What strategies or tools should your child be practicing? How can you help?
- Is there anything the school could be doing to support therapy goals? If your child has therapy at school, coordination between therapists could be very helpful.
- Could your child benefit from a different type of therapy? Can they make specific recommendations?
- If your child doesn’t yet have a diagnosis, do they see any early signs or symptoms of a neurodevelopmental disorder?
There needs to be a fit between the therapist and child, and in some cases, the therapist and parents. If you have good rapport and trust with the therapist, keep up your communication!
