Speech Therapy - How do I explain to the "other twin"?

[TheseThingsAreGoodThings]

I have non-ID boys who are 3.5

DT1 - has fantastic clear speech. Huge vocab.

DT2 - Has a huge vocab, but his articulation is not great. There are many sounds he cannot make and so it is often difficult for someone who does not know him to understand him.

If I try to help DT2 with a letter sound, DT1 interupts, says the sounds and keeps saying "mummy, I can say it, I can say it". Which is obviously not great!

So..... we have finally got an appointment with a SALT to assess DT2 speech.

How do I explain this to them? I dont want to make a big deal of it. But how do I explain that the strange lady wants to talk to DT2 but not DT1 without making DT1 feel left out and DT2 feel that he is not as good as DT1?

Apart from the initial assessment, I have been told that I can just send DT2 into the room on his own and sit in the waiting room with DT1. I just can't see DT2 willing to go in on his own. It really is not practical for me to take someone with me for these 30 min sessions.

could you leave DT1 with someone, a relative perhaps? - and don't mention to him where you are going with DT2 at all - perhaps big it up that DT1 is going to the park etc. You'll have to take DT2 to park afterwards aswell though!

Actually, I think it might be a good idea to bring dt1 to the session with you, as he is, unintentionally, part of the problem and is going to have to learn to modify his behaviour. The SALT needs to understand the influences and circumstances of the problem - with dt1 around she will see a bigger picture. Also, she may be able to influence dt1 in a different way to you. Children often respond better to instruction from other adults than from Mum or Dad.

For later visits you'll need to sort some babysitting/playmates/extra hours at preschool.

Thanks all. Just got back.

In the end I just went for the honest approach and told them that dt2 needs help with some sounds and dt1 does not.

They let both boys into the assessment room and let dt1 join in. Thankfully not too much showing off from dt1 and she managed to get enough speech from dt2 to make an assessment.