Questions & Answers
Source Links:
1. Kagan J, Herschkowitz N, Herschkowitz E. A Young Mind in a Growing Brain. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 2005.
2. Kurjak A, Pooh RK, Merce LT, et al. Structural and functional early human development assessed by three-dimensional and four-dimensional sonography. Fertility and Sterility. 2005;84(5):1285-1299.
Questions & Answers
Q. How do I know if my child needs speech, language services?
A. A qualified Speech Language Pathologist will be able to evaluate your child and
determine if your child is delayed or has a disorder in the areas of: speech, language,
play, cognition and/or feeding, and develop an appropriate treatment plan for your child.
Q. When should I start speech therapy?
A. Now. We service children as young as newborn. Birth to three years of age
is known as the critical period for growth and brain development. According to UrbanChildInstitute.org synaptic density in the prefrontal cortex
reaches its peak during the third year. Maximizing learning during this period of time will lead to greater success long term.
Q. When will my child talk?
A. It may be difficult for a professional to say exactly “when” a child may talk. Talking is a complex cognitive and motor task, which involves many subsystems such as respiration, phonation, and articulation. However, if it has been determined that your child has a speech or language delay, don’t worry because there are many techniques available! A Speech Language Pathologist can help your child to become a successful communicator! An SLP will often use play, reinforcing toys, verbal modeling, picture cues, gestures and speech and language facilitation techniques to improve the communication skills of your child. Every child is unique and requires a specialized treatment plan tailored to their specific needs. We are here to work together with you as a team.
Q. How long will my child require therapy?
A. The length of treatment/number of visits can vary greatly between patients and is based on each individual patient, their diagnosis and severity of symptoms. Speak with your SLP to determine your specific plan of care. Research has shown that consistent speech and language intervention will lead to positive outcomes in the development of speech and language skills.
Q. Where can I go for more information?
A. Please take a look at our RESOURCES section for further information.
Q. What is an evaluation?
A. An evaluation is the initial assessment that takes place prior to starting any treatment. Evaluations typically consist of formal testing, informal play-based assessments and interview. The formal testing will yield numeric results; while the informal play-based assessments allow the clinician to obtain pertinent clinical observations based on your child’s behaviors and skills as demonstrated during play. The purpose of the evaluation is to determine your child’s strength and weaknesses for a given skill in order to generate an individualized plan of care. It will also serve as baseline information to identify improvements and track progress.
Q. Does insurance pay for speech evaluations and/or speech therapy?
A. Insurance coverage for any given speech service is dependent upon the individual’s particular plan and benefits. Although you should contact your insurance company regarding your plan, Core Communication Center will also reviews plans prior to the first visit to provide more insight for you.
Q. What happens during a typical speech therapy session?
A. During a given session, the therapist will engage with your child in structured and unstructured tasks in order to address the goals delineated within their plan of care. Therapy activities are planned by the therapists in such a way that allows them to take on a consistent basis, and guide clinical decision making as your child progresses. At our center parents are welcome to observe and are consulted after sessions. Strategies that were effective are discussed and parents are often given carryover activities to assist with progress at home throughout the week. Building strategies into family routines is beneficial for repetition and more effective skill acquisition.
Q. Do you offer occupational therapy (OT), physical therapy (PT), and behavioral therapy (ABA)?
A. Although our team at Core Communication Center consists of Speech Language Pathologists, we routinely collaborate with other professionals (OT/PT/ABA) to help meet your child’s overall needs. As such, we are able to put you in contact with our trusted partners to help build your child’s therapy team.
619 South Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
Contact us today!
Phone: (978) 827-0757
Fax: (978) 703-4431
CoreCommunicationCenter@gmail.com