If you're trying to find a good speech therapist, the short version is this: figure out what your child is already communicating, notice the pattern across real routines (not just one hard afternoon), try a few small things at home this week, and loop in a professional if the pattern sticks around. None of that requires making your child feel like they're being tested. Most parents asking this question aren't looking for a lecture. They want to know if this is normal, whether they should act, and what they can actually do. A better question than "how do I get my child to talk right" is: what is my child already communicating, and what would make the next step easier for them? That shift keeps things calmer at home, and it also gives an SLP, pediatrician, early intervention team, or school team something concrete to work with when you do reach out. Rather than judging things by one rough afternoon, watch your child across several everyday moments. Pay attention to gestures, pointing, and pretend play, whether they respond to their name, how they handle frustration, any scripts or sound attempts they use, AAC use if that applies, and whether they seem to understand more than they can say out loud. A single missed milestone matters less than a pattern that shows up again and again across different routines. For this week, pick one routine that already happens daily, something like snack time or getting dressed, and model one useful word, phrase, gesture, or AAC button during it. Then pause and give your child real time to respond, in whatever form that takes: a sound, a sign, a point, a script, a button press. All of that counts as communication. And if the moment starts turning into a struggle, let it go rather than pushing through. When you're evaluating a therapist or program, watch for red flags: things like non-speech oral motor exercises, insistence on forced eye contact, or a stance against AAC or stimming. Those are worth asking about directly before you commit. If this concern is part of a bigger pattern, don't wait to ask for help. A hearing check, an early intervention evaluation, a private SLP evaluation, a school-based evaluation, or a developmental assessment are all reasonable places to start. Getting ahead of it isn't overreacting. It just means your child gets access to communication support sooner rather than later. For more on this, the Speech Therapy at Home hub is a good starting point, and the Parent Guides section covers related territory in depth, including pieces on ADHD and speech delay, autism and anxiety in toddlers, autism and apraxia overlap, autism and sensory processing, and therapy approach guides for autistic children, bilingual children with speech delay, children with ADHD, and children with apraxia. Little Words is meant as educational support for practice at home. It isn't a medical device, an AAC replacement, or a stand-in for a licensed speech-language pathologist, pediatrician, early intervention program, school team, or formal developmental evaluation.