Frequently Asked Questions About Speech Therapy
What is speech therapy?
Speech therapy is a professional service that helps individuals improve their communication skills, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing. It addresses various speech and language disorders through targeted exercises and strategies.
Who can benefit from speech therapy?
Speech therapy is beneficial for people of all ages, from children with developmental speech delays to adults recovering from stroke or injury. It addresses issues such as articulation problems, language delays, fluency disorders, and voice disorders.
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
Signs that a child may need speech therapy include difficulty pronouncing words, trouble understanding or following directions, limited vocabulary, problems with social communication, or struggles with reading and writing skills. An evaluation by a speech-language pathologist can provide a clear diagnosis.
What should I expect during a speech therapy session?
During a speech therapy session, the speech-language pathologist will use various activities and exercises tailored to the individual’s needs. Sessions often involve interactive games, drills, and practice to improve specific speech or language skills.
How long does speech therapy take to show results?
The time required to see results varies depending on the individual’s needs, the severity of the disorder, and the frequency of therapy. Some improvements may be noticeable within a few sessions, while more complex issues might take longer to address.
What can I do at home to support my child's speech therapy?
Reinforce therapy goals by practicing recommended exercises and activities at home, engaging in frequent conversations, reading together, and providing positive reinforcement. Following the speech-language pathologist’s guidance can enhance progress and make therapy more effective.
How is a speech therapy plan developed?
A speech therapy plan is developed based on an initial evaluation, which assesses the individual’s specific needs and goals. The speech-language pathologist creates a personalized plan that includes targeted therapy techniques, goals, and a schedule for sessions.
What’s needed to get started?
Getting Started is as easy as ONE, TWO, THREE.
1. Pediatrician Prescription
Contact your child’s primary care physician for a prescription for speech therapy evaluation and treatment.
2. Schedule an appointment and complete the Intake Form
Contact us to schedule an appointment and we can help you access our online intake form. The intake is time sensitive and requires completion in 5 days.
3. Schedule Apppointment
Once your intake and accompanying documents have been received, we’ll e-mail you and confirm your apointment.
Will Play and Bloom services be covered under my insurrance?
Speech therapy is commonly included as a benefit in many insurance plans, but coverage varies based on the specifics of the member's policy and the presence of a primary medical diagnosis. Once an appointment is scheduled with us, we verify your child's insurance benefits. Before the initial visit, we offer a comprehensive, personalized report detailing any costs associated with your child's commercial insurance coverage.
We encourage you to be familiar with your plan and coverage. Read Questions to Ask When Contacting Insurance About Speech Therapy Coverage.
Do I have to receive therapy from Play and Bloom after the evaluation?
Families can choose where and who will provide the services they may need. If you decide not to pursue therapeutic intervention with Play and Bloom Speech, you should be aware that another facility may require its own evaluation, though our evaluation is valid and can be used by another clinician for at least 6 months.
What is needed before my child’s Intial evaluation??
To make the most of our time, please provide the following information before we can proceed with your evaluation:
Prescription: A prescription from your primary care physician for evaluation and treatment. Please fax it to 602.207.8483. Or you can have your primary care physician Email it to Brittany@playandbloomspeech.com
Intake Form: Complete and submit the Intake form.
Insurance Card: Upload a copy of your insurance card to the Intake form.
Previous Evaluations: Upload any previous evaluations (speech-language, audiological, psychological, etc.), if they are applicable.
Identification: Provide the responsible party's identification card.
Once we have received all these items, we will contact you within 48 hours to schedule your initial visit.
Note: If you do not complete your file, in compliance with HIPAA, your information will be removed from our system after 14 days if no initial visit has been scheduled. To continue the process, you will need to resubmit all information using the paper version of the Intake form, which must be sent by mail to our office.