Today, I want to talk about something simple but critical: attendance. It may not seem like the most exciting topic, but it’s truly the foundation of your child’s success in therapy. Let’s take a closer look at why showing up (both physically and mentally) matters more than you might think.

Attendance Is the #1 Indicator of Success in Therapy

There are a couple things that are really important to the success of the therapy that we do here at the clinic. The first thing that is important is attendance. Having access to the child is critical in order for us to be able to make the progress that we want and make the progress that parents want.

If a child is coming into the clinic or being seen at a school once or twice a week, twice a week for 30 minutes is 60 minutes. 60 minutes out of the week is 0.6% of the whole entire week. That’s why one of the most important pieces to the success of intervention is to have access to the child.

If we’re already just getting such a little bit of time, that 0.6% of the week, then we need to be consistent with that. We need to see kids as often as we can. It’s important that parents think through that to figure out how they can prioritize that time.

Pediatric Therapists Can Help Your Child Achieve Incredible Results—With Enough Time

The second thing that is most important when we are thinking about the success of therapy with children is parent involvement. Our team, or your child’s therapist, is going to have access to the child maybe 1% of the week. That small window of time is critical, but it’s not enough on its own.

That’s why we strongly encourage parents to participate in sessions whenever possible. By being present, you’ll learn the strategies, exercises, and techniques your therapist uses. This helps you carry those skills into the rest of the week at home, creating consistent practice and reinforcement between sessions. Instead of progress happening only during therapy, it becomes part of your child’s everyday life. This pervasive implementation of our goals is key to lasting change.

The Secret to Real Progress Is Daily Reinforcement

When parents understand what we’re working on in therapy and why it matters, they’re better able to spot opportunities throughout the day to reinforce those same skills. It might be during bath time, while doing homework, waiting at a restaurant, or driving to school drop-off. These everyday routines become chances to practice strategies, encourage development, and build on what was introduced in therapy.

Parent involvement in sessions helps make this possible. It’s not about carving out an extra 30 minutes every afternoon to “do therapy.” It’s about recognizing and using the moments that are already part of your day. When parents know what to look for, they can create opportunities for growth without adding more to their schedule. That consistency and intentionality throughout the week is what leads to real progress.

Why Makeup Sessions Are Non-Negotiable

We have some pretty strict guidelines around attendance at Dynamic Therapy Specialists because we truly believe that making your sessions and parent involvement are vital to your child’s progress.

It is important that we are able to get as much access to children as possible. That’s why we need parents to prioritize session time and make up any missed days when possible. Again, we only get to see your child for about 0.6% of the week, and we need that full 0.6% in order to make progress.

When you start therapy, we’ll ask you to look at your family’s schedule, identify potential conflicts, and find an appointment time that works consistently. Prioritizing attendance helps ensure your child gets the full benefit of therapy and allows us to maintain momentum and build on each session.

Teacher Collaboration Is Also Important to Your Child’s Success

The next piece that can be extremely helpful is collaboration with the teachers. That is one of the reasons why the therapists from our clinic here at DTS will see children at school. What we want is pervasive implementation. We want everyone to have an idea of what it is that we’re trying to accomplish, how we are intending to accomplish that, so that they can identify opportunities to slip in moments for the goals to be targeted throughout the day.

As we’ve mentioned, our direct therapy time with your child is limited. That time is meant to be intensive and skill-focused—but progress really accelerates when it’s supported during the other 99% of the week. Just like parents, teachers play a major role in this.

Think about how your child’s time is divided. About a third of the week is spent sleeping. For school-age children, the remaining waking hours are often split between parents and teachers. That’s why collaboration is so powerful. With skilled therapy sessions happening once, twice, or even three times a week, and support from both teachers and parents outside of those sessions, we can create consistent, meaningful opportunities for growth.

Parent Involvement Makes Pediatric Therapy Even More Effective

Most importantly, parents—who spend the most time with their child—need to understand what we’re working toward in therapy. When parents understand what it is that we’re trying to accomplish, the various things that are necessary in order for those skills to fall into place and for development to fully integrate and be fully optimized, it gives us a full-team approach.

With a full team approach, we can make the greatest impact. The therapist uses their time with your child for targeted, skillful intervention. Parents reinforce those goals throughout daily routines. And when teachers and other caregivers are also involved, we build a strong, consistent support system around the child.

This kind of collaboration creates a robust intervention team where we are really optimizing the pervasiveness of what it is that we’re trying to do and ultimately ensuring the most success.

Reach Out to Dynamic Therapy Specialists for More Information

At Dynamic Therapy Specialists, we’re here to partner with you to help your child make progress that lasts. If you’re ready to get started or have questions about how we can help your child thrive, we’d love to hear from you. Give us a call at (225) 767-5032 to schedule an evaluation or speak with a member of our team.