By: Olivia Walz, MS, CCC-SLP
Popsicles, pool days, and… progress?
Summer is made for sunshine and fun—and while routines shift and schedules ease up, keeping a bit of consistency can help your child’s speech and feeding skills continue to grow. We know the break from school is well-earned, for kids and parents; but continuing speech therapy, even just a little, can help your child hold on to the progress they’ve worked so hard to achieve.
You don’t have to give up summer to keep moving forward—we’re here to make it easy and flexible for your family.
Keeping Skills Strong Over the Summer
Since school’s out and play dates might be fewer, a little regular practice can keep those communication and social skills buzzing all season long!
Research in education and child development consistently highlights the risk of the “summer slide”—a loss of learned skills that can occur during extended breaks from structured instruction. Studies show that children may lose up to two to three months of academic and developmental gains over the summer, and those with language delays may need another two months to recover those skills (Cooper et al., 1996; Downey et al., 2004). That’s nearly five months without forward momentum—potentially slowing progress and delaying new milestones.
More recently, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has reinforced the importance of consistent engagement over the summer. Their 2023 guidance encourages families to keep up with language and communication activities to help children strengthen and retain the skills they’ve gained.
It’s completely natural for families to consider taking a break during the summer—after all, everyone needs time to relax and recharge! Yet, even a small amount of continued support can go a long way. With flexible scheduling and options like telehealth, speech and language therapy can remain a low-stress, easy part of your child’s routine—fitting around vacations, camps, and family time while still reinforcing communication skills.
The good news? Supporting your child’s growth doesn’t mean committing to a heavy schedule. With flexible sessions, therapy can fit smoothly into your summer plans—helping maintain steady progress while still leaving plenty of time for fun and relaxation. Whether speech therapy is attended here at our office in Corpus Christi or online anywhere in Texas, we are committed to helping with forward progress.
Why Consistency Is Critical
Just like learning to swim or ride a bike, speech and language skills develop with time, practice, and repetition. Taking a long break from therapy—even during a fun-filled summer—can sometimes interrupt the progress your child has worked hard to achieve.
Without consistent support, things like: speech sound production (the way your child forms sounds and words) and understanding and using language can all take a step back. That’s because these skills are built slowly over time and depend on practice to stick.
ASHA reminds us that early and ongoing support is key to helping children meet their communication goals and reach their full potential (ASHA, 2022). Even short breaks can lead to the return of old habits or delays in new growth—especially for younger children or those with more complex needs.
The best part? Staying consistent doesn’t have to mean committing to a full schedule. Whether it’s weekly sessions, telehealth check-ins, a little speech and language support can keep things moving forward while still leaving plenty of time for sunshine and snacks.
Ready to Keep Your Child’s Progress Moving?
We know that summer is a time for relaxation and play, and therapy should feel just as enjoyable—not like another item on the to-do list. That’s why we’re committed to making every session engaging, enjoyable, and tailored to your child’s interests. Whether in person or through telehealth, our goal is to create a positive, fun environment where your child feels comfortable and excited to learn. Together, we’ll keep progress moving forward—without losing the joy of summer! If you’d like to talk about a summer therapy plan or adjust your current schedule, we’re happy to help.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment or learn more about our summer therapy options.
References
ASHA. (2022). Practice Portal: Pediatric Speech and Language Disorders. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
ASHA. (2023, June 26). How families can make summer a season for building children’s language, literacy, and learning skills. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Benjasuwantep, B., Chaithirayanon, S., & Eiamudomkan, S. (2013). Prevalence and associated factors of feeding problems in children at 2 to 5 years of age. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand, 96(1), 7–12.
Cooper, H., Nye, B., Charlton, K., Lindsay, J., & Greathouse, S. (1996). The effects of summer vacation on achievement test scores: A narrative and meta-analytic review. Review of Educational Research, 66(3), 227–268.
Downey, D. B., von Hippel, P. T., & Broh, B. A. (2004). Are schools the great equalizer? Cognitive inequality during the summer months and the school year. American Sociological Review, 69(5), 613–635.
Rommel, N., De Meyer, A. M., Feenstra, L., & Veereman-Wauters, G. (2003). The complexity of feeding problems in 700 infants and young children presenting to a tertiary care institution. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 37(1), 75–84.
