F A Q | Lakeside Speech and Language Therapy

How do I know if my child needs an evaluation?

While there is some variation in the ages that children achieve their speech and language milestones, below are links providing developmental norms for both speech and language skills from the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) to provide you with a better idea of the ages at which certain skills and sounds typically develop. If you still aren’t sure if your child needs and speech and language evaluation, please reach out to me and I will be happy to answer specific questions about your child’s development. Developmental Norms for Language Acquisition Speech Sound Developmental Norms
How long will my child need speech therapy?

This is by far the question that I get asked the most and I wish I could give a concrete answer. Yet, the reality is that every child and family is different, not only in their strengths and stretches, but also in how they respond to therapy. The only way for us to know how a child is going to respond to therapy is to DO therapy. Some children begin to respond right away, while with others it sometimes takes a bit longer for us to see big gains. However, the one thing that is consistent and concrete, is that the more practice and carryover a child gets at home and throughout the week, the faster we will see success and generalization of the targeted skills!
Do I need to/can I attend my child’s therapy sessions?

Yes and no. You can absolutely attend your child’s therapy session, but it is not required. In many cases, seeing the strategies we are using in therapy first hand can be extremely helpful for carryover at home. However, there are also children who are able to attend better in a one on one setting or family situations that do now allow parents/caregivers to participate in therapy and that’s ok too! If you are not able to attend your child’s session, we will discuss what was worked on that day and review your child’s home program following the session or via email. We understand that every child and family is different and are here to work with you to best support your child!
My child’s speech and language development appears to be delayed, but my pediatrician says he/she is probably just a late talker and to wait until my child is two/three years old. Should I seek an evaluation or wait?"

If you are concerned about your child’s speech and language development, my recommendation is to seek a consultation with a speech language pathologist. You know your child best. While it is true that children all develop differently and there is some variation in when they achieve speech and language milestones, an experienced speech language pathologist can often identify young children who are more at risk for more persistent speech and language delays and disorders. The earlier these children are identified, the sooner they can take advantage of intensive early intervention programs and services. In addition, child research has established that the rate of human learning is most rapid in the younger years. Timing of intervention becomes extremely important when a child runs the risk of missing an opportunity to learn during a state of maximum readiness.
Is there anything I can do at home to help my child’s speech and language development?

Yes! You and your family members are the people who are with your child the most, no matter how many times a week he/she attends speech and language therapy. I am here to support your child with his/her speech and language development, but I also need your help. Every child at Lakeside speech has a home program. No matter what stage the child is in the process of speech and language therapy, home practice is key to making progress and generalizing skills. After beginning therapy, I will provide you with detailed activities and skills to practice at home depending on your child’s speech and language goals.
My child has already had a speech and language evaluation. Does he/she need another one at Lakeside speech to start therapy?

If your child has had a comprehensive speech and language evaluation within the last year and you are able to provide a written report of the results of this assessment, your child does not need another evaluation at Lakeside Speech and can begin therapy immediately. However, if it has been more than a year since your child’s last evaluation, a re-assessment is required in order to understand your child’s current speech and language skills, to set appropriate goals, and best support his/her speech and language development.
How long are your therapy sessions?

The majority of our sessions are 60 minutes long, which includes 50 minutes of direct therapy and 10 minutes of discussion with parents to review what was addressed in the session, answer questions, and review home programs. However, research has shown that there are some children and certain diagnoses that benefit from shorter, more frequent therapy sessions. Therefore, we do offer 30 minute sessions on a case by case basis.
Do you provide written reports of my child’s progress?

Yes. Each family will receive a written report following their child’s speech and language assessment. In addition, a speech and language progress report will be provided every 6 months and a re-evaluation will be conducted annually.
Do you accept insurance?

At this time, we do not work directly with any insurance providers. However, lots of plans offer out of network benefits. Contact your insurance provider to get more information about what your plan covers.
Do you offer teletherapy services?

Yes! Teletherapy has been proven as an effective service delivery model for speech and language therapy, as well as a safe and healthy way to provide services. For more information about what teletherapy might look like for your child, click here.