+ What do you mean by a whole-child approach?

Our whole-child approach means that we value each child as well as their family dynamic, as a whole. Your child is so much more than a diagnosis or a label. Your child is a beautiful individual, but is also part of a bigger family unit and support community. Our team considers and includes the needs of your child and your family, and believes in a collaborative approach with their teachers and other therapists. It also means that we are committed to success beyond the therapy room or session and into your child's "real world". We work to uncover and honor their/your strengths and their/your challenges. You and your child will feel heard, seen, and understood when you are a part of this practice.

+ What areas does speech therapy cover?

Speech therapy isn’t just for “speech”! At Communication Interventions, we offer:

• Evaluation and treatment of speech, language, social skills, apraxia, autism, cognitive delays, attention disorders, executive functioning, play development, feeding, and oral motor skills.
• In-home individual therapy and teletherapy (virtual)
• In-school individual and small group work
• In-home and virtual parent consultations
• School consultations and program development
• Family and teacher education and support
• Early intervention services and screenings for home, schools, and child care facilities
• Social thinking and emotional regulation
• Mindfulness programs for the child and family

+ What ages do you serve? Do you work with adults?

All ages- birth through adults. There is no age minimum or limit. If an infant has nursing or feeding issues or a specific diagnosis, please reach out to talk with us. For adults, we treat dysphagia, aphasia, dysarthria, TBI, executive functioning, ADHD and cognitive-linguistic needs.

+ How do I know if my child needs speech-language services?

Some signs of a potential speech, language or hearing issue include:

• Difficult for anyone to understand what your child is saying
• Your child struggles to think of what to say
• Your child has difficulty saying words
• Your child has a hoarse voice
• Your child's speech is dysfluent (stuttering). For example, repetitions (B-b-b-b-b-but not now), prolongations (Mmmmm-me to), and blocks (R-ub it out)
• Your child's social skills seem different from their peers, including eye contact, play development, turn taking, engaging with others, understanding vocal tone and facial expressions, and ability to make friends

+ What should I do if I suspect my child may have a speech or language difficulty or delay?

A: The best first step is to request a phone call or send us an email so we can learn about your unique concerns and needs and then make a recommendation for the best (and most cost effective) course of action. When appropriate, we may offer (and encourage) an initial screening that will be a shorter, less formal opportunity to meet, see and hear your child in person (or virtually). This is way for a therapist to tell quickly whether or not a formal, full evaluation and standardized test is recommended. Sometimes the screening will indicate that no further action is needed at this time, and we will provide you with a timeline for developmental skills and a plan for next steps. Should you need a full evaluation, we would apply the cost of the screening to the cost of the evaluation from our practice.

+ What is the difference between a screening and a full evaluation?

The screening is an informal starting point where we spend a brief period of time with your child in order to listen, look, and experience the way they use their skills. Some parents are interested in a screening to make sure their child is on track developmentally. Some request a screening because they aren’t sure or have that “gut” feeling that something may need further investigation. Screenings are often offered at a school due to a parent’s curiosity of their child’s current speech and language development or a teacher referral. A screening is not always necessary, and we will advise you as to where you should start when we first talk. If your pediatrician has indicated you should seek out speech therapy, we will skip the screening, as the doctor will provide you with a prescription for a full evaluation. An evaluation is a formal, standardized measure of your child’s skills when compared to peers. An evaluation can be covered by insurances and typically will take at least an hour. An evaluation is also a way to verify that your child requires further services and allows the therapist to establish a therapy plan and recommendations.

+ Do you accept insurance?

Yes! At this time, we are in-network providers ONLY with straight Medicaid and Katie Beckett Deeming Waiver clients. We are not accepting Medicaid CMO’s (Amerigroup, Peachstate, Wellcare, etc.) Effective 2/1/2023, our practice will no longer accept patients with Peachstate insurance. If you have out-of-network benefits with a private insurer, we are happy to create a superbill at no charge, or we offer an insurance filing service for an administrative service fee of $10/month

+ What therapist will we see?

Please let us know if you would like to request a particular therapist, however we usually pair you with your therapist based on specialty, location, and scheduling, making sure that we find the best fit for you based on your individual needs.

+ How long does a therapy session last?

The length of the therapy session depends on each child’s individual needs and is usually determined in the evaluation process. Most often, sessions are 30 minutes once per week. Occasionally, it will be appropriate to do a longer 45-60 minute session and/or more frequent sessions.

+ How long is a child typically in therapy?

This is a super common question, but it's not an easy answer. Usually your therapist will gather information from the initial evaluation, then they need some time to establish rapport and offer some initial therapy before they feel equipped to set expectations for a time-line. Sometimes it’s a few months. Sometimes it’s a few years. Every child is so different (which is lovely!) and there are no rules or norms as to how a child develops or responds to therapy.