Speech therapy, like most forms of therapy, is most easily administered in-person. However, there are times when this is not possible and when online speech therapy may be the only option. If your child has been having online speech therapy, here are some things that you can do to help them along and make sure their sessions are as effective as possible.

Supervise your child's therapy, but don't interfere too much.

Parents often wonder how involved they need to be in their child's therapy sessions. In most cases, the best option is to be present so you can help your child as needed. But you don't want to get so involved that you're undermining the therapist's efforts or causing your child to pay more attention to you than to the therapist. A good option is to sit behind your child. Just observe and be quiet unless there is something specific you need to do, such as signing your child on to their therapy platform or answering a question that the therapist asks you directly.

Catch up with the therapist after the session.

While you don't want to interfere with your child's therapy session, it is helpful for you to talk to their therapist after each session. Ask the therapist how they think your child is progressing, and see if they have any recommendations for things you can do at home to help your child along. Some therapists will happily remain on video chat for a few minutes after the session to catch up with a parent. Others may prefer to send a follow-up email. Ask your child's therapist what they prefer.

Talk about therapy excitedly and positively at home.

The more your child enjoys their online speech therapy, the more attention they will pay to the therapist, and the more engaged they will be in the sessions. You can help your child enjoy speech therapy by speaking positively and in an encouraging way about it. Say things like "you get to talk to Mrs. June tomorrow!" and "I'm so proud of you trying so hard in speech therapy lately." Try not to make negative statements like "I wish you would pay more attention in therapy" as this may simply make kids more resistant.

Online speech-language therapy can be effective, but parents have to be willing to put in some effort, too. If you take the steps above, you will be helping your child along in the most encouraging ways.