Information about Speech Therapists and Speech-Language Pathology.
What is a Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist?
A Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist is a person trained to evaluate and treat children with communicative disorders. These disorders may include difficulties with speech, receptive language, expressive language or phonemic awareness disorders that impact a child’s overall ability to communicate effectively.
What training is required for a Speech Pathologist?
At COLLABORATIVE FUNCTION, a Speech-Language Pathologist must have a Master’s Degree in Communicative Disorders/Speech-Language Pathology, a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP), national certification by The American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and licensure by the State of Florida.
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
If you suspect that your child may be experiencing difficulty with some aspect of his/her communicative abilities, or if a teacher has referred your child for a speech screen, call our office in downtown Orlando to schedule a screening. A speech screen is a quick, inexpensive procedure that will determine whether there is a need for any further evaluation.
What is a speech screen?
A speech screen is short procedure done with children between two and six years old, to determine whether the child needs to have a full evaluation. To the child, the screen may seem like a pleasant chat with a fun adult, but the speech therapist is actually taking measurements of specific communication skills. At the end of the screen, the therapist will consult with you about the results. If the results of the screen suggest that further evaluation is recommended, you will be advised to consult with your pediatrician. Your pediatrician can then give you a prescription to have a full evaluation administered by the Speech-Language Pathologist.
Why do I need to consult a pediatrician?
Most insurance companies require a doctor referral or prescription to perform a speech evaluation or provide speech therapy in order for the services to be covered under the medical plan. Additionally, there may be underlying physiological issues associated with a child’s communication delays. If so, the pediatrician can confirm or rule out any of these other causes and give you a prescription for a full speech evaluation and any other assessments or treatments that are necessary.
What is a speech evaluation?
A full speech evaluation is considerably more thorough than a screen. In addition to measuring a child’s communication skills, the evaluation includes a set of communication skills that the child should obtain and a specific therapy plan of care to achieve those skills.
What does the speech therapist do during the therapy sessions with my child?
While it may look to the parent that the child is playing or receiving a tutoring session , the speech pathologist is trained to use a variety methods and strategies to help the child achieve the specific goals set out in the speech evaluation’s plan of care. The therapist also trains the parent on techniques to help the child at home.
How often and how long does a child meet with the speech therapist?
The amount time a child spends with a therapist is determined by what is necessary to achieve to goals set forth in the speech evaluation. The child needs to have an evaluation in order to answer this question accurately.
How much do you charge?
There are different charges for different procedures. Please note that, in most cases, the fee for speech therapy services is covered by insurance. Please call our office for details specific to your situation.
Do you accept insurance?
Collaborative Function is a provider for many insurance organizations and Medicaid. In most cases Collaborative Function is able to bill your insurance directly. However, as our provider list changes from time to time, we ask that you call our office for the most current provider list. We would be happy to check your child’s eligibility under your plan for you.