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Northern Illinois University

School of Allied Health & Communicative Disorders

Family Based Treatment

Family Based Treatment (FBT) is an approach to working with speech-language delays/problems in which family members and a speech-language pathologist work as partners to bring about speech-language change in the child with a delay/problem. These interventions are woven into the child's natural communicative environment, so most change occurs in the child's home rather than in the Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.

Principles underlying the FBT approach are as follows:

  • We define family as those people who are a significant part of the child's life. These people compose the group that can be most helpful to the child
  • Parents know their children better than anyone; they are experts on their child with a speech-language delay/problem and we need their help.
  • Children behave differently in the presence of their family than they do with strangers. So, families are invited to bring anyone that they think could be helpful to the sessions.
  • When one member of a family has a speech, language or hearing problem, all other family members are affected. Treatment is designed to build on a family's natural desire to help.

The Family Based Treatment model is different from individual therapy in that the people who are close to the child create speech-language change as they interact with the child every day. Therapy is, therefore, not limited to an isolated period of time each week. Rather, the methods may be used by those who care for the child on an ongoing basis.

Sessions are one hour in length. Typically, we meet once per week for the first few weeks. After change begins to occur, we meet less frequently (e.g., every other week, every third week, once per month).

If you have any questions, please contact:
Anne Davidson (815) 753-1483 or Janet Olson (815) 753-1401

See more Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic Services