Adrian Said:

Parents of children that have been in speech therapy, did you find it beneficial, was it?

We Answered:

My son was picked up for speech therapy when he was three and a half. He had an articulation delay that left him with an inability to pronounce almost all the hard consonant sounds as well as a few others. Therapy was very beneficial for him. As soon as he realized that the therapist could understand him, he began making more of an effort to talk to others. Prior to speech, he'd only talk to a few select people.

My husband was military. We were unable to have him seen through the clinic or EDIS. The military clinic informed me that I was comparing him to my daughter and that my husband's deployments had an effect on my son. If I'd just quit trying to compare my children to each other and be patient in my wait for my husband to return, my son's "minor issue" would resolve itself. At three and a half, I took him into the local school and talked to the therapist there. He was picked up immediately. So, I guess this covers expense as well since he was treated through the local school district at no cost to us.

We also sought out a private clinic run by the local Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge. They are a free service clinic, so there was also no cost involved. As my son passed through his articulation delay issues, he began having trouble with reading and spelling. The clinic has gone on to help him with tutoring in phonics that has been extremely beneficial academically.

ADD: Check with your local school district. In many locations, speech (either language or articulation) can allow early enrollment for that specific issue. My son started at 3 1/2 in Kentucky and was picked up immediately when we were transferred to Alaska when he was four.

You can also check to see if you have a school that works with children who have developmental delays. They may also take preschool enrollment for articulation. If you are unable to find something like that, check to see if you have a PIC or Parent Information Center in your city. These are geared towards helping parents advocate for their children's education and they would have information valid for your locale. These are generally government funded and will incur little or no cost.

Another option is to check your phone book. Look under speech or language for a Scottish Rite Language Clinic. If there is one, give them a call. My son qualified for help there at no cost to us and is still receiving help for the phonics issues that have a tie in to his articulation delay. Even though he speaks clearly now, he still hears the old patterns in his head and it is causing an issue with writing.