Speech Therapy

At CI, we see children as young as 1-1.5 years old all the way up to young adulthood. Providing your child with early intervention allows for significant growth at a critical period in your child’s development. Reach out as soon as you have concerns about your child’s speech and language development to complete a free developmental screener or consultation. CI is here to provide you and your child the resources and education needed to reach their maximum potential.

Speech therapy may be beneficial if your child:

• • Rarely attempts to imitate others’ language or actions
  • Is not yet using gestures (waving, pointing, shaking head yes/no, outreaching hand) by 1 year
  • Has difficulty understanding directions and following routines by 2 years
  • Is difficult to understand more than half of the time by age 3
  • Is not yet able to communicate their needs in an age-appropriate way
  • Struggles to make or keep friendships
  • Has challenges speaking fluently
  • Has difficulty learning how to read and/or spell

Speech – refers to the way a child says a word, or the way the word is produced. This directly relates to a child’s intelligibility level, or the amount that they are understood by their communication partners.

Language – refers to the meaning of the word. Language therapy can address receptive language, how language is being understood by the child, expressive language, how language is being used by the child, or both.

For example, one child may say “ma” and another child might say “mommy” – the speech sounds used in each word are different, but the underlying meaning of ‘mother’ is the same for both of the children.

Speech and language disorders can be caused by hearing loss (including recurrent ear infections), congenital conditions, genetic factors, brain damage/injury, and neurological disorders. Oftentimes, the cause of speech and language disorders is unknown.

While every care plan and frequency recommendation at CI is tailored to meet the specific, unique needs of each of our clients, children are typically recommended to be seen at least one time per week. Like most skills we learn, consistency in practice leads to greater and more rapid growth. Given this principle, and the current research in the field, there are many times that multiple sessions per week are therapeutically recommended for greatest growth and skill development potential. In addition to scheduled sessions, CI therapists seek to provide home carryover ideas/activities to ensure families are well-equipped to practice skills learned in therapy outside of their scheduled appointment times.

Rate of progress is highly dependent on the unique needs of individual clients. Factors that may impact rate of progress may include age, comorbidities, complexities of diagnoses, home carry over, and so much more.

Errors are a common and a totally normal part of a child’s speech and language development! When errors occur in speech sounds they may be referred to as phonological processes or articulation errors. Specific errors with language may include use of the correct tense or conjugation of verbs (i.e., runned for ran) or pronoun use (him vs hims). CI’s speech and language pathologists use norms developed through research, in conjunction with clinical expertise to identify when these error patterns are no longer expected for a child’s age, at which point the child is less likely to resolve these errors without expert intervention.

Check out these handouts for lots of ways to support different areas of speech therapy at home!

Language development is complex! Your child's speech therapist can make personalized recommendations based on your child's needs and learning style. We recommend different apps and resources to different kids, as it's not a one-size-fits-all recommendation. A speech therapist can also include ways to interact with your child as they use apps and other tools. Research shows that screen time is most effective for learning when it's "active", that is when a parent or caregiver can interact with the child as they engage in the app or video.

All SLPs at CI are nationally certified through the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). The best pediatric speech and language therapist is going to look different for every child. Here are some things to look for when searching for a provider:

• Is therapy fun for your child? Not only is play a more enjoyable way for children to learn, but there is growing evidence that children actually learn best through play! CI therapists are experts at creating innovative ways to incorporate your child’s interests into their therapy sessions to increase engagement and subsequently increase progress toward their goals!
• Are the child’s and their caregiver’s thoughts/concerns being heard? At CI, we know that family involvement is a key component of a child’s progress in therapy. When the people they spend the most of their time with are involved in the process, your child is able to carry over the learned skills into their natural environments We do this by: including family members in therapy sessions, directly teaching them the skills needed to reinforce the skills at home, and  providing a summary of the session, which often includes home carry over strategies, at the end of each session

CI is in network with many insurance providers. Speech therapy is covered by some insurance policies. Oftentimes that coverage depends on the diagnosis we are treating. It is important to know if your insurance policy has any exclusions related to the area for which you are seeking treatment (e.g., exclusions related to learning disabilities or developmental delays). It’s always important to confirm coverage and plan specifics with individual insurance providers. We love to collaborate with families, and our billing team can support you as you investigate and help explain your coverage and benefits.

Given your permission, your child’s speech therapist will communicate with their school and teachers to collaborate, problem solve, and work together to best meet your child’s needs.

Speech language pathologists are specialists in communication and treating challenges that impact communication. Occupational therapists are experts in promoting functional participation  through the therapeutic use of meaningful everyday activities (occupations!). Collaboration is highly valued at CI.  Our speech language pathologists and occupational therapists can work closely with one another to promote carry-over of skills and may address challenges, such as social skill challenges, through their respective lens.

SLPs receive special training on communication and feeding. They treat individuals from many treatment lenses, often identifying specific factors that might be impacting a person’s communication or feeding difficulties. SLPs use a variety of treatment techniques based on the underlying causes of these challenges. ABA providers exclusively utilize a behavioral lens to teach and shape different behaviors and developmental skills. They use applied behavior analysis as their primary treatment technique for all goal areas. SLPs and ABA providers can work in tandem to support clients.

Yes! Speech therapy can support children with autism in many ways. SLPs receive specialized training on in-depth language and social skill assessment for individuals with an autism diagnosis. Speech therapy at CI does not seek to teach clients how to act in a neurotypical manner but rather celebrates the unique qualities they possess while supporting client and family goal areas. Whether a client wants to learn to better self-advocate and communicate their needs to others, set personal boundaries, or build stronger relationships, personalized speech therapy goals specific to the client are vital to motivation and progress!

Communication and collaboration with families is at the forefront of CI’s care. Before and after each session, you will receive verbal updates on session activities and progress from the treating therapist. Families are always welcome (and encouraged!) to join sessions as well. Goals created at the time of the evaluation span 3 months, at which point they are updated. The treating therapist will go through progress and new goal areas with you to ensure you know what your child is working on and what progress they have made.