Below are links from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). These will outline typical communication development:

• Developmental Norms for Speech and Language

• Social Communication Benchmarks

Each child is a special individual and develops on their own timeline. If you’d like to discuss this question about your child, I offer a free 15 minute phone consultation to learn more about your concerns and if speech and language therapy can help. 

Evaluations are an opportunity for me to interact with your child and learn about their unique communication skills.

Depending on the child and their skills, some or all of the following may be part of an evaluation: play and rapport building, completion of a standardized assessment, parent/caregiver interview, treatment probes.

Each evaluation includes a comprehensive report and a follow-up phone call to discuss the report and treatment plan.

Sessions vary depending on your child’s need on any given day. If they are resistant to adult-directed play, we will follow the child’s lead to select intrinsically motivating toys/activities. If they gravitate towards more physical play, we will allow more movement in the session. Each session will look different depending on how your child is feeling and what they are interested in. 

Telehealth sessions are conducted in a private virtual meeting room on a HIPAA compliant platform. While it will look different from an in-person session because the client and provider will not be in the same physical location, with some creativity and an open mind, the same targets and strategies can be practiced.

With years of experience providing both telehealth and in-person treatment, I believe that each delivery model has its own benefits:

In-person treatment allows for a more hands-on approach, increased physical play, use of specialized materials/equipment, and can lead to more engagement.

Telehealth treatment allows for easier logistics (schedules/commutes/etc.), an ability to treat a client in their home environment where they feel most comfortable and have their favorite toys, and easier access to other family members.

If you’d like to discuss the needs of your unique situation, please schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.

Duration of treatment is dependent on the level of complexity of the communication difficulties, the child’s behavior style, and caregiver/parent involvement carry-over. Each child’s development will vary.

Eligibility- In schools, a child must demonstrate at least a 1.5 standard deviation deficit before they qualify for services. This means that some children are denied services in schools because they are not struggling “enough.” Private therapy allows for more nuanced and less standardized treatment and evaluations - if your child is struggling, we can help.

Ratio - School-based therapy is often given in groups of 3-5 children which means the provider’s attention is split which makes it more difficult to tailor treatment. Private therapy is offered individually which allows for personalized treatment and goals.

Parent/Caregiver involvement - Parent involvement within schools is limited due to time constraints of the SLP. In private therapy, the opportunity for parent/caregiver involvement is built-in, which allows for up-to-date communication and increased carry over of skills to the home environment.

Credentialing can take between 3-6 months. However, some insurance companies are not currently open to credentialing new providers. If you have specific questions, please let me know, and I will do my best to find answers!