Health insurance may sometimes cover speech and language therapy. There are variations in coverage based on carriers, individual’s policy and diagnosis, and in- and out-of network coverage. You may call your insurance carriers and ask “how much” of speech therapy services will be covered by your policy. Your insurance provider will make you aware of restrictions, deductibles and co-payments.

There is definitely the possibility that impairment in the speech and language areas can have an effect on academics and social interactions. It is also possible to have a negative impact on self-esteem. These are all factors that can be addressed with treatment.

It is not uncommon for children to receive speech therapy. Many children, especially when they are young, do not feel strange going to another teacher or tutor. This is yet another reason to embrace the idea of early intervention. If there are other family members or friends that go to speech therapy they may be helpful in talking to your child about it. However, I suggest to parents (depending on the age of the youngster) to say that you are going to a teacher who can help him/her to say their words and thoughts more clearly.

Absolutely not. Parents do not cause speech and language disorders. However, there are things parents can do to improve or change the areas of speech and language difficulty.

It is very tempting to want to receive speech therapy in your child’s preschool because it’s so convenient. Having a professional come to your home can be very easy as well for the parent that has multiple children and has so much going on. However, as someone that has provided therapy in people’s homes and at preschools, it is usually not the best way to do therapy over a long period. In the preschool environment the clinician isn’t in total control of the activity level surrounding her. There is also an absence of interaction with the parents. It is helpful to have the teachers and school personnel involved so they can be part of the total program, but it is more helpful to be working directly with the parent to reinforce skills learned through individual treatment.

Regarding home therapy, it is also a setting where the speech therapist isn’t in control of the environment. Phones and doorbells are ringing, dogs are barking and other children are waiting for attention. The toys are the child’s not the clinician’s, which can put the professional at a disadvantage when trying to control their use. A source of materials and programs more appropriate to the issue and familiar to the professional are available at the speech therapist’s office.

As studies have shown, early intervention will provide the child with the best chance of progress along their development path and lead to a better prognosis.

The best answer to this question is to speak with a speech language pathologist directly regarding the specific areas of concern. It may be necessary for the clinician to schedule an appointment.

A speech and language screening is a quick look to determine whether or not further testing is indicated. It can take five to 10 minutes. A standardized instrument may be used but it may not be if the age or concerns are answered via observation. A diagnostic evaluation or assessment is a complete battery of standardized tests administered to qualify and quantify performance and skills for baseline data, to determine an effective treatment program, and to quantify if treatment is successful over time.

Speech therapy can vary from a short duration for something like an isolated tongue thrust or reverse swallow to a lengthy period of time for people that have significant language and speech delays. Each case needs to be looked at individually and discussed with the professionals and family members within the context of the remediation process.