Next Steps
Next Steps
Once you have made a decision to move forward with More Than Words LLC, a case history form will be emailed to you. The form can be edited, so there’s no need to print it out. After the form is returned, I will input your information into our medical records and an email will be sent for you to join our client portal. The portal is where the client will be able to keep track of appointments and view notes from the session.
It would be ideal to have the case history form completed at least three days prior to your first appointment in order to ensure there is enough time to review the information. If you are planning to use insurance to pay for the services, then it is necessary for your child’s pediatrician to write a prescription for speech therapy services prior to scheduling an evaluation.
Expectations for a Pediatric Speech/Language/Swallowing Evaluation
I find it helpful to prepare ahead of time and bring a couple items that will help you and your child make the most out of the evaluation session. Your child’s first visit with me will usually consist of two parts: a parent interview and direct testing.
The beginning of your session is dedicated to knowing more about your child’s history, your concerns, and to receive contact information for any specialists who are working or had worked with your child. This will also give your child time to warm-up to a new person. If feeding is an area of concern, please write down the following information: age when your child transitioned to baby foods, a list of preferred, neutral, and non-preferred foods, and any information about when the child started to demonstrate difficulties with chewing, swallowing, or drinking.
The evaluation portion of the session may involve informal and formal testing. Informal testing often resembles play and I am using this time to learn more about how your child communicates in real-life situations. Formal testing is more structured and may involve your child doing things such pointing to pictures in a testing manual, naming items, and answering my questions.
As some children feel anxious or shy when completing the evaluation, it is completely fine to bring a couple of their favorite items to the evaluation. It is also ok for a sibling to participate for part of the session as it may help them feel comfortable. If feeding is an area of concern, be sure to bring utensils and food you use regularly with your child.
Once the evaluation is completed, I will write up the results. These results can be accessed through the client portal and will be available within one week of the evaluation.
Expectations for Therapy
If your child has received a formal evaluation within the past 12 months and you have a copy of the report, it is not necessary to complete an additional evaluation and we can use the goals set by the previous therapist. However, it is required for an evaluation to be completed if an evaluation has taken place more than 12 months ago or if you have a concern regarding your child’s speech, language, and/or feeding abilities that was not addressed previously.
All appointments are made in advance and can be tracked in the portal. A reminder will be sent approximately 1-2 days before the session. Family members are more than welcome to join the therapy session. Each session will consist of 4-5 different activities and to your child, this time may resemble free play. The last couple minutes will be dedicated to questions, feedback, and things to work on.