Screen Time Before and After Speech Therapy: A Balanced Approach for Families

Updated October 2026: This article was originally published in December 2024 and has been updated to reflect current research and recommendations regarding children’s screen use. As the evidence has evolved, so has our guidance. Our current approach focuses less on labeling screens as “good” or “bad” and more on quality, context, connection, and balance.

Screens are part of real life.

They entertain our children, help families get through long car rides, connect us with relatives, provide educational content—and sometimes give a tired parent the few minutes they need to make dinner.

At Brainstorm, we are not interested in making families feel guilty about screen time.

But parents often ask us:

“Should my child use a tablet or phone right before or after speech therapy?”

Our answer is usually: it depends.

Current research suggests that what children watch, how they use screens, whether an adult participates, and what screen time replaces may matter just as much as the number of minutes spent watching. American Academy of Pediatrics

Around therapy sessions, we encourage families to be a little more intentional.

1. Think About the Transition Into Therapy

Imagine being halfway through your favorite show and suddenly hearing:

“Okay! Turn it off. Time for speech!”

That transition can be hard.

It does not necessarily mean the screen has “overstimulated” your child. It may simply mean they are being asked to stop a highly preferred activity and move immediately into something different.

The American Academy of Pediatrics now provides specific resources to help families make transitions away from screens easier, including predictable routines and boundaries around media use. AAP

Before therapy, consider choosing something that is easier to stop:

📚 Look at a book.

🧩 Bring a small puzzle.

🚗 Play with a favorite toy.

🎵 Sing songs in the car.

💬 Talk about where you are going.

The goal is not perfect behavior before therapy.

It is simply creating a smoother transition into the session.

2. Protect Opportunities for Conversation

One of our biggest considerations as speech-language pathologists is not simply screen time itself.

It is what happens when screens replace opportunities for interaction.

A 2024 longitudinal study of children between 12 and 36 months found that greater screen exposure was associated with fewer adult words, child vocalizations, and back-and-forth conversational turns in the home. Importantly, this was an association—not proof that screens directly caused language difficulties. JAMA Network

That distinction matters.

Instead of thinking:

“Screens are bad for language.”

Think:

“Does this screen use leave enough room for talking, playing, reading, moving, and connecting?”

Those everyday back-and-forth interactions are powerful language-learning opportunities.

3. Use the Time After Therapy to Connect

There is not good evidence that a screen immediately after speech therapy somehow erases or interrupts what your child learned.

We want to be clear about that.

However, the few minutes after therapy can be a great opportunity to help your child connect the session to everyday life.

You might ask:

“What was fun today?”

Or your therapist might tell you:

“We practiced /s/ while playing with cars.”

Then, on your drive home, you might notice:

“Hey! Stop sign has your /s/ sound!”

For younger children, you may simply sing, play, comment on what they see outside, or let them decompress quietly.

At Brainstorm, we care about helping skills move beyond the therapy room.

So when possible, we like to protect a little space for connection and carryover after the session—not because screens destroy learning, but because real-life interaction gives us another opportunity to use it.

4. Remember: Not All Screen Time Is the Same

This is one of the biggest changes in how we now talk about screens.

Research has found that greater overall screen exposure tends to be associated with lower language outcomes, while higher-quality educational content and caregiver co-viewing have been associated with stronger language skills. PubMed

The AAP's updated guidance similarly emphasizes that digital media should not be considered only in terms of a timer. Content, design, the child's developmental level, caregiver involvement, and whether screens displace sleep, play, reading, movement, or relationships all matter. American Academy of Pediatrics

So instead of only asking:

“How many minutes?”

Also ask:

What are they watching?

Why are we using the screen right now?

Are they watching alone or with someone?

What other activities are happening during the day?

Those questions usually give us much more useful information.

5. When You Can, Watch Together

You do not need to sit beside your child for every minute of every show.

That is not realistic for most families.

But when you can join them, turn the screen into another opportunity for interaction.

If a dog appears:

🐶 “Look! A dog!”

If someone falls:

“Oh no! He fell!”

If the characters are cooking:

“We made pancakes this morning too!”

Young children can have difficulty transferring information from a two-dimensional screen into real-world learning, and caregiver interaction can help bridge that gap.

Current AAP guidance specifically encourages joint media engagement and high-quality content for young children.

5 Easy Screen-Free Ideas Around Therapy

You do not need elaborate activities.

Try:

1. Books: Let your child choose the book. You do not even have to read every word.

2. Music: Sing together or listen to a favorite song.

3. Movement: Walk, jump, stretch, or explore outside for a few minutes.

4. Simple toys: Cars, figurines, fidgets, crayons, or a small puzzle can make waiting easier.

5. Nothing! Yes, really. Children do not need to be entertained every second. Looking out the window, sitting quietly, cuddling with a caregiver, or simply transitioning from one place to another is okay too.

So… Should We Ban Screens Before Speech Therapy?

No.

At Brainstorm, we are not interested in rigid rules that ignore the realities of family life.

A child who watched a show in the car is not going to “ruin” their therapy session.

And a parent who hands over an iPad after a difficult appointment has not failed.

Our recommendation is simply to use screens intentionally.

When possible, give your child a little breathing room around therapy for conversation, movement, play, and connection.

And if screens are part of that day?

That is okay too.

Choose quality content, create predictable boundaries, and look for opportunities to connect before, during, or afterward.

The Big Takeaway

Current research gives us a much more nuanced message than:

“Screens are bad.”

Instead:

💛 Protect time for interaction and play.

💛 Choose high-quality content when possible.

💛 Co-view and talk about what your child sees when you can.

💛 Pay attention to what screen use may be replacing.

💛 Create predictable transitions rather than making screens a source of conflict.

💛 Give yourself some grace.

Connection matters more than perfection.

Until next time!

Your Friendly Local Speech Therapist,

Irene Gutiérrez

Bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist

Founder, Brainstorm Speech Therapy

References & Additional Resources

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (2026). Digital Ecosystems, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement. Pediatrics, 157(2), e2025075320. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2025-075320 American Academy of Pediatrics

• American Academy of Pediatrics. (2025). Early Childhood Development and Screen Time Toolkit. AAP

• Brushe, M. E., Haag, D. G., Melhuish, E. C., Reilly, S., & Gregory, T. (2024). Screen time and parent-child talk when children are aged 12 to 36 months. JAMA Pediatrics, 178(4), 369–375. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2023.6790 JAMA Network

• Madigan, S., McArthur, B. A., Anhorn, C., Eirich, R., & Christakis, D. A. (2020). Associations between screen use and child language skills: A systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(7), 665–675. PubMed

• World Health Organization. (2019). Guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age.