Developmental Therapy

Developmental therapies, also called social-pragmatic interventions, are intended to promote social communication and other social interactions. The therapist or parent aims to make highly motivating activities available to the child, be responsive to what the child does (e.g., imitating or commenting on actions that the child performs) and encourage ongoing interaction around these activities (e.g., turn-taking, requests, gestures, or alternation of gaze between the activity and the adult). Developmental therapies use information about stages in social connection and communication to support children’s growth, using strategies like modeling, collaboration and play to invite and engage children in interactive learning. Developmental therapies are based on understandings of how children learn from both psychology and education. Speech and language pathology and occupational therapy also contribute to knowledge and strategies used in developmental therapies.