23/04/2026
As a speech and language pathologist, I often meet persistent and loving parents who are eager to put their child in speech/language therapy, but are subtly hesitant when I recommend occupational therapy (OT) simultaneously. Their usual response? โSpeech lang naman ang concern, bakit kailangan pa ng OT?โ ๐ญ
โผ๏ธ Hereโs what I try to explain:
A child has to be (1) regulated, (2) engaged, and (3) able to attend before meaningful communication can develop. Thatโs where occupational therapy comes in. It helps build foundations for communication through movement, play, and sensory work that support the brain, which directly support speech and language progress
Think of OT as the โsoilโ that speech grows from ๐ฑ Without it, overall therapy progress may be slow or stalled
Letโs give children what they truly need; not just speech, but the support that helps speech come alive ๐ฃ๏ธ I know it can feel like โextraโ work or expense, but when we give them what they truly need, thatโs when the real breakthroughs begin ๐
