What are the ages of the clients you may serve?
Connections Speech Therapy is a pediatric practice that serves children of all ages from infants and toddlers up through young adults. We also serve some adult clients with speech and language-based disorders, such as stuttering or aphasia. How do I know if my child may need speech therapy? No one knows your child better than you do! If you are asking yourself whether or not your child may need speech therapy, you are probably listening to that "gut instinct" that tells you something about your child's development may be cause for concern. Speech and language develops from many complex systems working together in perfect harmony. In fact, nearly one in 12 children has had a disorder related to voice, speech, language or swallowing in the past 12 months (The ASHA Leader, 2015). While all children develop at different rates, it is important to observe consistent growth and progression with your child's communication skills. Early Intervention is essential to your child's success! We offer a free consultation to discuss your concerns and provide guidance about whether or not an evaluation may be needed. Click here for more information about milestones for typical speech and language development. What can I expect if an evaluation is recommended? An initial evaluation is required prior to starting treatment so that baseline data can be collected and goals can be established in order to track progress. The appointment usually lasts 60 to 90 minutes. Occasionally, a second visit is required to complete the evaluation. During the evaluation, your child's skills will be assessed through questions that you answer about your child, the history that you provide, and the use of standardized tests and informal observation of play and interaction. Following the evaluation, you will receive a brief verbal summary of the findings. You will later receive a comprehensive written evaluation report of the test results and recommendations. If therapy is being recommended, the report will include a plan of care with appropriate treatment goals and will be reviewed with you during the first therapy session. What can I expect during speech therapy sessions? Most therapy sessions are 45 minutes, which includes approximately 10 minutes at the conclusion of the session to discuss progress and strategies for carry-over. We believe that this collaboration with caregivers and education throughout the session are key ingredients to the child's success! A wide range of fun and developmentally appropriate activities and games, toys, books and software are utilized to motivate and facilitate your child's learning throughout the session. A speech therapy session note and invoice are provided for each session. How frequently will therapy take place? The unique needs of each individual are considered when recommending therapy. Most children receive 1 - 2 sessions per week. This may be subject to change based on the child's response to therapy. |
My child is receiving speech therapy through school or Early Intervention. Is private speech therapy really needed?
Early Intervention or school-based speech therapy services may or may not meet your child's needs. School-based speech therapists face the challenges of high caseloads, demanding paperwork, and frequently missed sessions due to meetings, inservices, holidays, etc. Early Intervention emphasizes a model of Developmental Intervention that is more generalized in its approach and may or may not be provided by a speech therapist. Private speech therapy can offer a variety of supplemental benefits without the constraints that are a part of the educational and Early Intervention systems. My child did not qualify for speech therapy through the school or Early Intervention. Will he be eligible for private speech therapy? Children must meet a stringent criteria to be eligible for special education services (outlined by the Department of Education) or Early Intervention (outlined by the Department of Health & Human Services). Standardized test scores must fall at least two standard deviations below the mean scores (equivalent to a “severe” deficit or impairment). Scores in the area of communication are typically combined to be analyzed as one skill set that includes what the child is understanding as well as what he can express. Children who demonstrate strong comprehension skills but poor expressive language often do not qualify for services. Children who demonstrate articulation errors also may not be eligible if these errors are not considered to have an educational impact. These systems are not equipped to serve students with mild to moderate impairments who may be struggling and who demonstrate a need for skilled intervention, which is the reason that Connections was founded! Is a referral from our physician needed for services? We do not require you to have a medical doctors’ referral for services. However, if you would like services to be reimbursed by an insurance company, it may be necessary to request one from your doctor's office. Insurance companies differ regarding the need to obtain preauthorization for services and the number of visits they will cover in a given time period. It is your responsibility to keep track of these requirements. Why don't you accept insurance? As a small private practice, Connections Speech Therapy does not have the resources to devote to billing insurance companies. It has also been a conscious decision to develop a practice that is more focused upon the children and families that we serve without the frustrations, time commitment, and constraints that go along with billing insurance companies. We want the decisions we make about your child's therapy services to be made in collaboration with you and not directed by an insurance company that does not understand your child's needs. However, we will provide upon request the appropriate documentation including a “superbill” or an itemized invoice with diagnosis and treatment codes that you may submit to your insurance carrier for reimbursement. Depending upon your health plan, your insurance carrier may reimburse some or all of the costs of services. We accept cash, checks, ALL credit cards and health savings account cards. |