09/01/2022
Teenagers should be active partners in the decision to see an SLP. They may need someone to explain the potential benefits of intervention and explain what intervention will look like, but their should be no hidden agendas and they should be fully informed about the goals of SLP assessments or treatment. They need to be fully on board and take ownership over their treatment for intervention to be meaningful. Some teens with communication disorders may be ok with their communication, and intervention may not be a priority for them. That is ok!
A major goal for many teens with a variety of communication disorders is developing self-advocacy skills, and developing confidence surrounding communicating. Teens can collaborate with parents and/or their SLP to determine goals that are motivating and meaningful to them. This allows for a wide range of possibilities and can be a lot of fun! Keep an open mind when thinking about how an SLP might be able to support your teen - they may be able to provide support for challenges you wouldnโt immediately associate with an SLP. Some goals we have worked on with teens include developing skills for standing up for yourself and advocating for accommodations, learning to make compromises and work towards a group goal, developing job interview skills, learning strategies for reading comprehension and analysis using graphic novels, and understanding multiple meanings and play on words in rap songs.
Check out this post to see some signs that a teen may benefit from speech and language services.
Disclaimer: the information is for education purposes only. If you are concerned with your childโs speech development and are interested in an assessment from one of our SLPs, complete the intake form on our website: https://khancommunicationservices.com/group-programs/chatter-social-skills-program/