Myths About Speech Therapy, Busted

There's a lot of misinformation floating around about what speech pathologists actually do, and I hear the same myths over and over. Let's clear a few of them up.

Myth: "Speech therapy is only for kids who can't talk at all."

Truth: We work with kids and adults on a huge range of things; clarity of speech sounds, stuttering, language and grammar, social communication, feeding and swallowing, voice, and more. Plenty of the kids I see talk plenty; we're just working on how.

Myth: "He'll just grow out of it."

Truth: Sometimes that's true, especially with certain sound errors at young ages. But some delays don't resolve on their own, and waiting too long can mean a child falls further behind, especially heading into school. When in doubt, it's worth getting it checked out.

Myth: "Being bilingual causes speech delays."

Truth: Research consistently shows that being raised bilingual does not cause language delays. Bilingual kids may mix languages or reach certain milestones slightly differently, but that's typical bilingual development, not a red flag on its own.

Myth: "If my child understands everything, there's nothing to worry about."

Truth: Understanding (receptive language) and talking (expressive language) don't always develop at the same rate. A child can understand a lot and still have real difficulty expressing themselves. That gap is often exactly what brings families into therapy.

Myth: "Therapy is basically just flashcards and drills."

Truth: Good therapy looks a lot like play. We use games, books, toys, and everyday routines to target specific goals, because kids learn best when they're engaged and having fun, not sitting still doing worksheets.

If you've heard something about speech therapy and aren't sure whether it's true, ask me. I promise I don't mind the question.