If you're searching for more speech therapy at school, chances are you're not looking for a lecture, you want to know whether this is normal, whether you should act, and what you can actually do without turning it into a test for your kid. The short version: watch how communication shows up across your child's real day, support it where you can, and loop in the right professional if the pattern sticks around. The most useful question isn't "how do I get my child to talk right now?" It's closer to "what is my child already communicating, and what would make the next step a little easier for them?" That shift keeps the relationship intact, and it gives an SLP, pediatrician, early intervention team, or school team something real to work with when you do bring them in. Rather than judging one rough afternoon, watch for patterns across several different moments: gestures, pretend play, how your child responds to their name, frustration, scripts, AAC use, sound attempts, and whether they seem to understand more than they can say. A single off day tells you very little. The same gap showing up at dinner, at drop-off, and at bedtime tells you something. For this week, pick one routine that already happens daily, and model one useful word, phrase, AAC button, or gesture inside it. Pause long enough to let your child respond in whatever form that takes, and count approximations, signs, points, scripts, or device use as real communication. If the moment starts turning into a battle, stop. That's not the time to push. A few things worth understanding as you go: you have the right to request an independent evaluation (IEE) if you disagree with a school's findings, goals should be set from actual data rather than general impressions, and your role as the parent advocating for your child carries real weight in these conversations. If more speech therapy at school fits into a bigger pattern you've been noticing, it's worth asking for help sooner rather than later. That might mean a hearing check, an early intervention evaluation, a private SLP evaluation, a school-based evaluation, or a developmental assessment. Asking early doesn't mean overreacting. It means giving your child access to communication support while it can do the most good. For more on navigating this process, the IEP Support hub covers the paperwork and planning side, and the wider Parent Guides collection has more on related topics. Little Words is meant as educational support for home practice. It isn't a medical device, an AAC replacement, or a substitute for a licensed speech-language pathologist, pediatrician, early intervention program, school team, or developmental evaluation.