My Child Needs Speech Therapy. Now what?
Finding the right person to support your child in their communication journey can be an overwhelming process.
It can sometimes feel confusing to navigate every step from the moment you become concerned to the moment your child begins to receive the services they need. This is especially true when you are the first in your family or friend group to undergo the journey.
Thankfully, depending on your child’s age, your family’s insurance status, and your personal preferences, there are a lot of options for getting your child the services they need.
FINDING A SPEECH THERAPIST:
If you’re not sure where to begin your search, there are plenty of resources.
Your child’s pediatrician: Your child’s pediatrician is a great place to start your search. Pediatricians often have a network of local specialists they collaborate with. A referral from your child’s doctor will likely be to someone they know and trust.
Your health insurance provider: Your insurance provider can generate list of speech therapists in your area who accept your specific health insurance plan. (Providers who accept your health insurance plan are called “in-network” providers.) The list is usually shared by text or email and is tailored to your preferences (e.g. travel, specialty, etc.). You can also access the provider directory yourself from your member portal.
Early Intervention: If your child is under 3 years old, they may qualify for services through your state’s Early Intervention (EI) Program. The program provides in-home or in-daycare therapy services to children who qualify at no or low cost. To locate your Early Intervention services in your state, visit the CDC website.
Professional Directories: Directories can be a good place to start. SLPFind, ASHA ProFind, Speech Therapy Next, and Speech Buddies Connect are some of the free and easy directories that help you find therapists in your area. They are also great for specifying preferences like specialties and the languages a therapist speaks.
Local Universities and Colleges: There are over 300 accredited speech-language pathology programs in the United States, which means that a college or university near you likely has a training clinic. Give them a call!
Your Local School District: If your child has aged / is aging out of Early Intervention or is ready to start preschool, you can contact your School District’s Child Study Team and have them evaluated to determine if they can receive services at school.
Here’s a video to help you remember these resources:
FOR CHILDREN UNDER 3:
EARLY INTERVENTION:
Early Intervention (EI) is one of the most important federal resources available for families of infants and toddlers..
The program provides high-quality therapy, like speech therapy and physical therapy, to qualifying infants and toddlers under 3 years old. The program also provides social services and supports for their families.
Getting started is as easy as picking up the phone and calling your state’s Early Intervention program (EIP).
While the EI program may seem overwhelming on the surface, the process from start to finish can be summarized in just a few steps.
Identification and Referral:
Unless you object, early childhood professionals such as your child’s pediatrician or daycare staff can refer your child to the Early Intervention Program when there is concern about your child’s development. If you have concerns, you can also refer your child to the EIP in your county. You can also ask your doctor or a trusted person to help you with the referral process.
Initial Intake:
An Early Intervention Officer (or Initial Service Coordinator) will contact you within days of your child being identified. They will answer your questions about the EIP, explain your family rights, and help you schedule the evaluation. Before your child is evaluated for the program and receives services, you must give your written permission.
Evaluation:
If you decide that the EIP makes sense for you and your family, the next step is to have your child evaluated by a team of professionals from different disciplines. This evaluation, also known as the multidisciplinary evaluation (MDE), serves to assess your child’s skills, needs, and current levels of functioning in the following 5 areas of development: cognitive development (thinking, reasoning, problem-solving), physical development (hearing, vision, motor skills), communication development (understanding and use of speech and language), social and emotional (relating to others, regulating emotions), and adaptive development (eating, dressing, self-care). The results of the MDE will determine if your child is eligible to receive services through early intervention.
As part of the MDE, you may also choose to opt into a Family Assessment, which will help identify resources, priorities, and concerns as it relates to your child and their development.
IFSP Meeting:
If your child is determined to be eligible to receive services, an IFSP Meeting will be held. The IFSP, or Individualized Family Plan, is a written plan that is designed for your child and your family. It outlines the services your child will receive, where the services will take place, and what goals will be addressed. You will need to sign the IFSP to show that you agree with the plan. Your signature will also serve as written consent to begin services.
Service Visits:
Early Intervention services must be provided in the “natural environment”. According to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, these are settings that are “natural or typical for a same-aged infant or toddler without a disability“. Services can be provided in your home or other community settings, such as your child’s daycare.
IFSP Review:
The IFSP is reviewed every 6 months and your child may be evaluated annually. You may request to review the IFSP sooner. During IFSP reviews, you and the IFSP team (therapists, service coordinator, etc.) make decisions to continue, modify, or delete goals, strategies and/or services.
Transition:
A Transition Planning Meeting happens approximately 6 months before your child’s third birthday. During this meeting, you and the IFSP team discuss and establish plans for transition into the ISFP. Once your child turns 3, they may:
not need services going forward
transition to services in a special education program
transition to other childhood services, as needed
Approximately 120 days (or 3 months) before your child’s first birthday, the EIP will send a written notification to your local public school district to notify them of your child's potential transition to the preschool special education system.
FOR CHILDREN age 3 and older:
PRIVATE PRACTICES, CLINICS, AND HOSPITALS:
Private practices and clinic-based settings are great options for therapy. No matter which option your choose, the process for getting started will likely be very similar.
The Referral:
Your child’s pediatrician may refer you to a speech-language pathologist based on their observations or your concerns. Some therapy practices may ask for a prescription or “script” from your pediatrician. You can also self-refer to speech therapy.
The Phone Call:
A consultation call, also known as a “discovery call” or “intake call” is your opportunity to provide information about your child, their developmental history, and your concerns about their speech and/or language. During this call, the practice will confirm whether or not they accept your insurance plan, and if they are able to help.
The Match:
Not every therapist or practice will be the right fit for your child and your family. During your consultation call, be sure to ask about the therapist’s areas of expertise and their approaches to therapy. This is also a great time to confirm personal preferences (e.g. a therapist who speaks Spanish).
Intake Form:
You will complete an intake form to describe your concerns, your child’s medical and developmental history, and your goals for therapy in detail. At this time, you may also be asked to send a copy of your insurance card to the practice.
Insurance Check:
The practice will verify your insurance benefits and check in with you about the estimated costs of services including copays, any caps on services (e.g. your insurance may only cover 60 speech therapy sessions in a calendar year), what diagnoses and services are and are not covered in your plan, and the circumstances under which they are covered (e.g. injury, etc.)
Evaluation:
You will schedule an evaluation session to determine if your child needs speech therapy. Evaluation sessions usually last about an hour, but can vary in time. The results of the evaluation will guide the goals for therapy.
Practice Makes Progress:
Once sessions begin, it’s important to see and understand the strategies the therapist is using in order to practice them at home. A speech therapy appointment is only a small part of your child’s day, but what you do at home makes a big difference!
WAIT TIMES
Regardless of what option you choose, there may be a waiting period. While this not ideal, sometimes, the wait is for a few weeks, and sometimes, it’s for a few months.
EDUCATE YOURSELF AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE:
If you would like to make sure that you are doing all that you can at home, check out the TalkBaby course and TalkToddler course courses from WeeTalkers. These parent and caregiver courses are designed with you in mind, are taught by speech therapists and moms, and teach you how to support language and build connections at home.
TalkBaby: This digital course is designed to help you support your baby’s language development during the first year. You will learn how to encourage first words with sign language, simple songs, and talking tips.
TalkToddler: This digital course is designed for parents of children 12 months to three years. You will learn ways to help your toddler say more using simple and effective strategies.
