Preventing Regression During Summer Breaks: A guide for SLPs and OTs to share with families

Why Regression Happens

Skills developed in therapy often require repetition, structure, and reinforcement before they become fully generalized and independent. During long breaks, children and adults may lose access to:

• Consistent therapeutic routines
• Guided practice opportunities
• Structured communication support
• Sensory regulation strategies
• Peer interaction
• Accountability and feedback

Regression may appear as:

• Increased frustration or behavioral challenges
• Reduced communication attempts
• Difficulty following directions
• Loss of articulation clarity
• Decline in handwriting or fine motor skills
• Increased sensory dysregulation
• Reduced independence with daily tasks
• Social withdrawal or reduced confidence

The good news is that regression can often be minimized with proactive planning and caregiver support.

Practical Strategies Families Can Use at Home

1. Keep Communication Embedded in Daily Activities

Encourage families to focus on functional communication throughout the day rather than “therapy homework.”

Examples include:

• Having the child request items during meals
• Practicing sequencing while cooking
• Encouraging conversation during car rides
• Asking open-ended questions during outings
• Narrating routines and daily events
• Reading together consistently

For adults receiving therapy, encourage:

• Daily conversational practice
• Reading aloud
• Voice exercises
• Cognitive-linguistic activities
• Functional communication during errands or social activities

Consistency matters more than perfection.

2. Maintain Predictable Routines

Many clients thrive on structure. Summer schedules often become inconsistent, which can increase dysregulation and reduce opportunities for practice.

Recommend families:

• Maintain regular sleep schedules
• Keep meal and activity somewhat predictable
• Use visual schedules or calendars
• Prepare clients for transitions and travel
• Continuing household responsibilities and routines

Predictability supports regulation, attention, and participation.

3. Encourage Social Interaction

Social communication skills are especially vulnerable during long breaks.

Encourage opportunities such as:

• Playdates
• Camps
• Group activities
• Community programs
• Family game nights
• Video calls with relatives
• Shared hobbies or clubs

These interactions help maintain:

• Pragmatic language
• Turn-taking
• Emotional regulation
• Problem-solving
• Flexibility
• Confidence

4. Prioritize Fine Motor and Sensory Activities

For OT clients, summer provides excellent opportunities for movement-based and hands-on learning.

Recommended activities:

• Swimming
• Playground activities
• Sidewalk chalk
• Gardening
• Building projects
• Arts and crafts
• Cooking and baking
• Obstacle courses
• Scooping, pouring, and sorting activities

Sensory regulation strategies should also continue during travel and vacations. Encourage families to bring familiar regulation tools such as:

• Noise-reduction headphones
• Fidgets
• Visual support
• Weighted items
• Sensory snacks or movement breaks

5. Limit Passive Screen Time

While technology can be beneficial when used intentionally, excessive passive screen time often replaces opportunities for communication, movement, and engagement.

Encourage families to:

• Balance screen time with interactive activities
• Use educational and communication-based apps when appropriate
• Watch shows together and discusses them
• Encourage active participation instead of passive viewing

The goal is engagement, not elimination.

6. Continue Carryover Goals Naturally

Families often feel overwhelmed when asked to “do therapy at home.” Reassure them that carryover can happen in simple, manageable ways.

Examples include:

• Practicing speech sounds during games
• Using AAC devices consistently across environments
• Encouraging independence with dressing or feeding
• Practicing emotional labeling during daily situations
• Reinforcing self-advocacy skills
• Using visual supports consistently

Short, frequent practice opportunities are often more effective than long structured sessions.

7. Prepare Families Before the Break Starts

The weeks leading up to summer are an ideal time for clinicians to:

• Review progress with caregivers
• Identify vulnerable skills
• Provide individualized home recommendations
• Share visual supports or simple home programs
• Demonstrate activities families can realistically implement
• Set achievable expectations

Caregiver confidence significantly impacts carryover success.

For Clinicians: Focus on Function, Not Perfection

Families are balancing vacations, camps, childcare, work schedules, and much-needed downtime. Rather than overwhelming caregivers with extensive worksheets or rigid programs, focus on:

• Functional routines
• Realistic implementation
• Small achievable goals
• Encouragement over compliance

The objective is maintaining engagement and preserving progress, not recreating therapy sessions at home.

Final Thoughts

Summer and school breaks do not have to mean losing progress. With proactive guidance and practical support, SLPs and OTs can help families create meaningful opportunities for communication, regulation, independence, and participation throughout the break.

The most effective carryover strategies are often the simplest ones, embedded naturally into everyday life, relationships, and routines.

When therapy principles become part of daily experiences, progress is more likely to continue long after the break ends.