Therapies & Support: From Dolphin Therapy to Speech Therapy and Beyond

Why we tried “everything”

Like many parents, we wanted to try anything that might help our child. In the early years we searched intensely, read every recommendation, and tested many approaches. Over time, we learned to tell the difference between what sounded promising and what actually made a difference for us. What didn’t help our child may help someone else and the opposite can be true as well.

Our starting line: regular therapies from age 2

We began structured therapy when our daughter was two. We started with Son-Rise, which many families love, but in our case it didn’t bring the changes we hoped for. We then transitioned to ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) and saw our first clear progress, especially in communication foundations, imitation, and daily routines. Because of hypotonia (low muscle tone), we also added TSMT (sensorimotor training). The combination of ABA + TSMT became a strong pillar for us helping with regulation, body awareness, attention, and learning new skills. We tried speech therapy too; at the time, imitation was very hard, so ABA became the main pathway to build those pre-speech skills. Later, as imitation improved, speech work made more sense.

What helped us most (consistently)

-ABA for structure, learning steps, imitation, and everyday skills. -TSMT for sensorimotor integration and hypotonia support. -Together, they reinforced each other, helping attention, regulation, and learning.

Again: that’s our family’s experience. Some children soar with other approaches; your path may look different

What else we tried (the “curious list”)

We also explored a range of alternative or adjunct therapies. Some felt supportive; others didn’t bring visible change for us. Many were expensive, time-intensive, and come with mixed or limited evidence, so please research carefully and speak to clinicians you trust. -Acupuncture -Hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) -Stem cells -FMT (Fecal Microbiota Transplant) -Dolphin therapy (we even returned for a second round) -Music therapy -EEG neurofeedback -Ayurvedic medicine -Tomatis® Method (or Tomatis® Listening Therapy

Our honest reflections FMT: This was the alternative that felt most impactful for us. We noticed better comprehension and attention afterward. That’s our anecdotal observation, not a general claim. Dolphin therapy: For us, this was powerful emotionally and motivationally. We’ll share more in a separate post, because there’s a lot to unpack, environment, engagement, regulation, and how it affected our child’s willingness to connect and try. The rest brought mixed or subtle effects for us. Your mileage may vary.

Cost, energy, and the “yes to everything” phase

Most of these options are costly, and there’s no guarantee. We’ve been through the phase of saying yes to everything, until we realized that our time, child’s energy, and family bandwidth are also precious resources. Now we add new things carefully, and only when they align with clear goals and our child’s current needs.

How we choose now (our simple filter)

-Child-first fit: Does it match her current stage, interests, and sensory profile? -Clear goal: What change are we hoping to see? How will we measure it (even simply)? -Capacity check: Do we have energy, time, and money for this right now, without burning out? -Integration: Does it complement what already works (for us: ABA + TSMT)? -Review point: When will we honestly reassess and decide to continue or stop?

If you’re just starting out

-Build a stable base (routines, regulation, safe environments). -Choose one or two core therapies you can sustain. -Track tiny wins (sleep, attention, imitation, play, regulation). -Protect joy and connection, progress happens best when everyone feels safe and seen. -Give yourself grace. Parents are learning too.

Our bottom line

For our family, ABA + TSMT have been the most consistently effective pillars. Among alternatives, FMT brought the clearest shift for us (comprehension and attention). We remain open, but far more thoughtful. What didn’t help us might be exactly what helps another child and every parent hopes the next thing will be the one. That hope is part of the journey.