Speech therapists help people with language disorders.A speech and language therapist works with people who have different levels of speech, language, and communication issues.They work with people who can't eat, drink or swallow.Speech therapists help people with stutters and lisps.They help people with problems with spoken and written language.There are many resources that can help you find a speech therapist that is right for you.
Step 1: You can get a referral from your family doctor.
A list of recommended speech and language therapists can be found at your doctor's office.It is possible for your healthcare professional to give a referral based on the needs of the patient.It is more likely that the professionals will coordinate care if your doctor gives you a referral.The majority of referrals will be to private clinics.They tend to be more expensive than other approaches to care.
Step 2: Inquire about your child's school.
If you want a speech therapist for a child who is older than 3, contact the child's school or school district.Until the child graduates from high school, the school districts are responsible for all special education programs.Call the special education department at your child's school to schedule an evaluation or speak to someone about referrals.
Step 3: It's a good idea to use an early intervention program.
Children under 4 years of age are served by early intervention programs.Every state has a special education department.You can get a list of programs in your area by contacting your state department.Each state's special education department has a list of contact information from the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center.You don't need a medical diagnosis or professional judgement to make a referral.Families are invited to make a referral when a delay is suspected.
Step 4: Check with the colleges.
Assessments and treatment can be provided by college students or interns at local colleges or universities.The interns are usually under the supervision of a fully licensed clinical director.The ability to help students in their professional endeavors and a lower cost are some of the benefits of this option.The option includes less continuity of care due to students rotating in and out of the program.
Step 5: Talk to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
ASHA has over 186,000 members and is a professional, scientific, and credentialing organization.audiologists, speech-language scientists, and more are part of the association.ASHA has a directory of professionals that can be searched by area as well as specialty.
Step 6: Try private speech therapists.
Speech and language therapists who have gone into private practice for themselves or an agency are called private speech therapists.They are more expensive because they don't work in the public sector.They offer easier access to appointments.Try websites such as Speech Buddy, Therapistratingz.com or yellowpages for kids for assistance.
Step 7: You can call your insurance company.
Ask your provider for a list of speech therapists that are covered by your plan if you or your child have medical insurance.By location, specialties, gender, language and other requirements, you can narrow your search.You can use your insurance provider's patient portal to complete these searches.Before you can be seen by a speech therapist, you have to get a referral from your primary care physician.The evaluation may or may not be covered depending on the diagnosis given by the speech therapist.If you want to be prepared for your appointment, you need to ask your insurance company.
Step 8: If the speech therapist is certified, ask.
The speech therapist who is certified has passed necessary courses from an accredited program, passed a national exam, completed a one year clinical fellowship, and participated in continuing education programs.For more certification of experience, look for speech therapists who are associate members of ASHA.
Step 9: Determine if they are appropriate for a patient.
Speech therapists work with both children and adults so it is important to determine what age group the therapist is more comfortable with.If services are for your child, it's important to find a therapist that can easily interact with children and make them feel comfortable.If services are for adults, look for a more mature office setting and a professional who is used to working with adults.If you want to know if a therapist is a good fit for your child, there are a few questions to ask yourself.If you are looking for a speech therapist for an adult, make sure their interventions fit your needs.If your speech difficulty was caused by an injury, be certain that it is listed as one of the therapist's specialties.
Step 10: Check their knowledge and experience.
Look specifically at the speech therapist's specialties if you want to know how many years of service they have.How many other patients have they had the same condition and what are their treatment plans?Questions to pose include how much of your caseload is made up of cases like mine, what treatment do you recommend, and what evidence supports these recommendations.
Step 11: They need to determine their specialties.
You may be able to narrow down your need before seeing the speech therapist if you have seen your primary care physician or school professional.You can search for a therapist based on a number of problems.Knowing the speech therapist's specialties can help you find the right one.The patient doesn't speak clearly or make mistakes.There are problems with the flow of speech.Voice problems include pitch, volume and quality.Problems with eating, swallowing, or drooling are indicative of oral feeding problems.There are many communication problems that adults can be treated for.