A plateau is defined as a state of little or no change after a period of activity and progress.
It is common for a child in therapy to plateau. They go through periods where they make rapid progress and then level out for a while.
During slower times it is not that they are not making progress, rather that they are assimilating and generalizing what has been taught. We all do this when we learn new skills. We progress, slow down and get comfortable or complacent, but then a point is reached when we are ready to learn more.
During plateaus the therapist will change goals or the way treatment is administered to keep the child engaged and motivated. The end goal is always in sight, but small gains are celebrated and acknowledged.
There is no magic wand only time, good therapy and continuous speech and language stimulation at home. It is vital that parents also keep their child motivated, correct productions and give credit for trying. If a child or parent has lost interest in the process it will negatively affect the progress and prognosis, or the predicted outcome of the diagnosis.
Changing therapists at this point makes no sense if the child has build up a therapeutic rapport, nor does stopping therapy. If you can get better on your own, why are you coming to therapy to begin with?
Persistence guarantees that results are inevitable.
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