Frequently Asked Questions |
Children respond differently at different stages of growth and development, so this really depends on what you are noticing at home. A young child (9 months) who is not responding to sounds, showing comprehension of simple words, or pointing to call attention to interesting objects, may be showing early signs of a hearing loss or language disorder. Other general guidelines:
If your child has been tested within the past 6 months, and a copy of recent reports are available, the speech therapy objectives already in place can sometimes proceed directly to scheduling treatment. It will be necessary, however, to schedule a consultation with you and your child in order to eview the reports and determine appropriate objectives. At that time, we will determine whether additional testing is needed, and what course of treatment is recommended. It is important to remember that not every child is the same, and children reach milestones at different ages. Accordingly, there are many factors that influence a child's progress, such as: severity of the disorder, patient cooperation, motivation, and readiness to learn. Another significant factors is the amount of family involvement in implementing home practice. In general, children with receptive language problems (difficulty understanding language) tend to require longer courses of treatment, as do children with underlying neurocognitive impairments such as autism. Most children receive in-clinic services one or two times per week. The frequency of services recommended will depend on whether or not your child is receiving school-based therapy, the severity of the disorder, or what type of intervention program is recommended. More intensive schedules are occasionally implemented as needed. Sessions are usually scheduled for 50 minutes of direct contact with your child, plus an additional 10 minutes for parent consultation. In some circumstances, 30-minute sessions may be appropriate, based on your child's needs, such as poor attention span or nearing mastery of objectives. You will receive a written report following the initial evaluation. Progress reports are generated upon parent request, and are charged for at our hourly rate. Progress can also be discussed verbally via face-to-face meetings or teleconferencing (also charged at our hourly rate.) We are considered an out-of-network provider and do not bill insurance directly. We accept private pay and provide an invoice that you can be submitted to your insurance company for reimbursement. if you plan to submit for reimbursement, you will need to check with your insurance company to determine coverage for out-of-network providers. |