General Questions

Speech and Language Questions

FAQ'S

General Questions

  1. Does Florida Speech accept insurance?
  2. Yes, we accept select insurance programs and/or plans. Please contact us to discuss any specific questions or to find out if your insurance program or plan is able to be accepted.

  3. Does Florida Speech accept Medicaid?
  4. Yes, we accept Medicaid, Med-Waiver, and MediPass

  5. Do you offer financial assistance or a sliding fee scale? Yes we offer financial assistance to certain clients. Please contact us to discuss our normal rates and fees, or to see if you qualify for a reduced rate or fee schedule.

  6. Do I need a referral to receive speech or language therapy? In some cases, with Medicaid clients for example, you may need a physician's referral or prescription to receive therapy. Private-pay clients do not require a physician's referral or prescription, but our therapists may ask for one to keep on file.

  7. What ages does Florida Speech see? We see clients of all ages.

  8. What days and/or hours do you work? Because we treat clients in their natural environments and with a family-centered approach, our hours are typically flexible. Our therapists typically work Monday-Friday, from 8:00-5:00, but some evening or weekend appointments may be approved. Please contact us to discuss a therapy schedule or if you must request a special time, such as an evening or weekend.

  9. When do you require payment for therapy services? We typically require payment for services when the service is provided. However, please contact us if you require a different payment schedule due to financial restrictions. We will do our best to accommodate your request.

  10. Can your therapists co-treat with therapists of other disciplines, like Occupational Therapists, or Audiologists? Yes! We are able to co-treat with therapists of any other discipline, including but not limited to: Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists, Behavior Analysts/Therapists, Audiologists, Psychologists, Neuro-Psychologists, Ear-Nose-and-Throat physicians, and many more. Also, if you feel that your child requires additional therapy services, such as occupational therapy, we would be happy to refer you to several excellent professionals of the above mentioned disciplines.

  11. What is 'Natural Environment' therapy? Natural environment therapy refers to speech and language therapy services being given in the client's natural communication environments; whether it be his or her home, school, after school care facility, or adult workshops. We are proud to offer natural environment therapy services for several reasons, the top reasons being: we significantly reduce the client's need to learn to generalize, or carryover skills learned in treatment to his or her natural communication environments because the skills are being taught in those environments; and because we want to make receiving speech and language therapy services from our practice a positive, hassle-free experience...no more rush-hour traffic trying to get children to after-school therapy and then home to make dinner! Please feel free to contact Florida Speech to further discuss our natural enviornment therapy services, or if you have any questions specific to your child or family needs.


  12. Do you accept credit cards? Yes, we accept credit cards for private payment of services at our Waterford Lakes office location. We currently accept Mastercard and Visa.

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Speech and Language Questions

  1. Will my insurance cover my child's speech and language therapy? Some insurance companies do cover or reimburse payment for speech and language therapy services. Each client should check with his or her own company and review their policy coverage and restrictions to confirm. Please feel free to contact us regarding questions about your specific policy's coverage benefits.

  2. What causes speech and language disorders or delays? Each speech and language disorder or delay is unique and can be caused by a variety of factors. It is important to have suspected speech and language problems evaluated by a licensed speech-language pathologist. After a full evaluation, a reason or possible cause, for the disorder or delay can be discussed.

  3. How often will my child have to be seen for speech therapy? Each case is different, but for the most part, clients are seen twice a week for 30-45 minute sessions. More involved children, like children with autism or Down Syndrome, may require more sessions per week, or 60 minute sessions.

  4. How do I know if my child needs to have his speech and language skills evaluated? Typically physicians or teachers will notice a delay or disorder in a child's communication skills. They can recommend that your child be evaluated. Parents may also notice a delay in communication skills, and should discuss their concerns with their child's doctor and teacher, or contact a speech-language pathologist for an evaluation. Parents may also notice behavior problems arising from school-aged children because the children are frustrated with their communication problems, but aren't sure of how to express their problems to adults. In any case, if you are concerned about your child's speech and language development and/or use, please contact us to schedule an appointment.

  5. My child is only two years old, but isn't communicating like other two-year-olds. Should I wait for him to "grow out of it"? No, please contact us for an appointment to evaluate your child's communication skills immediately. Typically, if children are showing a delay in communication skills at this young of an age, treatment is quick, as early intervention works very fast and effectively. It is always better to be safe than sorry! Your child now could be lacking only some comprehension of basic language concepts, but if not treated now, could develop into academic, social, communication, and behavioral difficulties down the road.

  6. My child was dismissed from speech therapy at his school. I feel that he still needs treatment, what can I do and why was he dismissed at school? Remember that school districts operate under separate guidelines than private practitioners. For a child to receive speech and language therapy in the schools it must prove to be "educationally relevant" and must focus on educational goals and objectives. Your child may have been dismissed because they had reached a higher functioning communication level, and it was no longer "educationally relevant" for them to be seen at school. If you feel that your child still needs speech and language services, you have the right to pursue private treatment from a speech-language pathologist in a private practice setting.

  7. What is the difference between a 'screening' and an'evaluation'?
    A screening is a very brief, overall glimpse at an individual's communication skills. It skims over all areas of speech and language, including articulation, fluency, voice, grammar, vocabulary, conversational skills, and language memory. Screenings usually take only 15-20 minutes to conduct, and are relatively inexpensive procedures. Screenings only indicate whether further, in-depth testing is warranted in any specific communication area(s). On the other hand, a comprehensive evaluation is a lengthy, in-depth and detailed look at an individuals communication skills. Evaluations typically take an hour or more to administer, and are more costly. Comprehensive speech and language evaluations give specific, detailed results of all areas tested, and result in more adequate and appropriate results. Upon completion of a comprehensive evaluation the parent or client receives a written report of the results, including professional recommendations.

  8. How will I know if my child has delayed speech and/or language skills?
    Please see our Speech and Language Developmental Milestones chart.

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