04/07/2025
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? “Speech lang naman ang concern, bakit kailangan pa ng OT?” 💭
‼️ Here’s what I try to explain:
A child has to be (1) regulated, (2) engaged, and (3) able to attend before meaningful communication can develop. That’s 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 “soil” that speech grows from 🌱 Without it, overall therapy progress may be slow or stalled
Let’s give children what they truly need; not just speech, but the support that helps speech come alive 🗣️ I know it can feel like “extra” work or expense, but when we give them what they truly need, that’s when the real breakthroughs begin 💚
