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What should I do if I suspect my child has a speech or language disorder?
If you are concerned that your child may have a speech or language disorder, you can contact a speech-language pathologist (SLP) to have an evaluation completed. Based on the results of the evaluation, the SLP will make recommendations for the next step.
Speech and language disorders can affect children in a number of ways. Some children have impairments in only one area, whereas others have impairments in several areas. Children from birth through adulthood can be affected. Speech and language disorders can affect a child's articulation or phonological processes, motor speech, auditory processing, receptive and expressive language, cognitive-communication, fluency, voice, pragmatic language, social skills, reading, writing, or learning.
How do speech-language disorders affect learning?
Speech and language skills are essential to academic success in many ways. Language skills are needed for reading and writing, learning curricular content, and communicating in the classroom.
Language skills are essential to reading and writing. Children need to be able to understand and use language in order to decode words, read fluently, understand what they have read, and spell words. They also use language when writing complete sentences, essays, and narrative stories.
In the classroom, children are required to follow multiple directions at one time, listen to and understand new concepts in content areas such as math, language arts, science, and social studies, and learn new vocabulary on a daily basis. Children use language when they solve problems, make inferences, and analyze language, as well.
Children also need language skills to communicate in the classroom. They need to be able to ask and answer questions, request clarification and assistance when they don’t understand, and maintain a topic of conversation with teachers and peers.
Speech skills are needed to be able to communicate clearly with teachers and peers. Some children with speech disorders are reluctant to speak in class; therefore they miss out on opportunities for classroom participation and learning.
What happens during a speech and language evaluation?
During your child's speech and language evaluation, a speech language pathologist will conduct a parent interview to obtain background information pertinent to your child’s speech and language abilities. Formal and informal assessments of your child’s speech and language skills will also be completed. Formal assessments can include standardized tests or parent report questionnaires. Informal Assessments can include observation of your child’s speech and language skills during play or conversation.
What happens during therapy? What types of evidence-based approaches do you use during therapy?
A speech-language pathologist from PipSqueak will come to your home or your child’s school to work with your child. Based on the results of the evaluation, goals and objectives targeting specific speech and language skills will be developed and various evidence-based teaching methods will be used to teach your child the target skills. The SLP will also work with the caregivers so that they may learn the strategies and implement them within the child’s daily routines. We highly encourage parent participation in the therapy process.
Depending on your child’s age, goals, and individual strengths and needs, a combination of child-directed and clinician-directed activities will be conducted. Some activities will be highly structured, whereas, others will be play-based and more natural.
A multi-modality approach will be used when needed consisting of speech, signs, PECS, or other augmentative and alternative forms of communication. Strategies such as communication temptations and indirect language stimulation strategies are also used when teaching language and communication.
Who provides the services?
At PipSqueak Speech Therapy, all screenings, evaluations, and therapy will be completed by a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist.
I would like schedule a speech and language evaluation with PipSqueak Speech Therapy. How do I get started?
You can contact Tara Roof, M.S., CCC-SLP (615) 587-2683 or Josie Alston, M.A., CCC-SLP (615) 598-6301 to schedule an appointment. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have about the evaluation process during this phone call. If you wish, you may download, complete, and print our forms prior to the evaluation.
Do you accept insurance?
PipSqueak Speech Therapy does not participate with any insurance companies. However, at your request, we will be more than happy to provide you with the necessary documentation to submit to your insurance company. If you are considering filing a claim with your insurance, it is advised that you contact your insurance company prior to your initial visit to verify coverage for the evaluation and possible treatment. Click here for tips on talking with your insurance company. | 
