FAQs

Speech-language pathologists treat communication problems in infants, children, adolescents and adults with any of the following:

• Speech impairment, such as speech sounds, stuttering, slurred speech, or voice problems;

• Speech or language affected by surgery, stroke, head injury, or neurological disease

• Stuttering

• Tongue thrust affecting speech or dental alignment

• Voice problem: hoarseness, weak or loud voice, voice spasms or vocal fatigue  

Qualified speech-language pathologists hold a national credential called the CCC-SLP which is granted by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). This stands for Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology. This certification is required for those who work in

Texas. A speech-language pathologist is legally required to hold a Texas State license. It is the minimum requirement to work in all settings, except schools and federal agencies.

We serve adults and children of all ages and communication disorders.e

Speech Pathology Services is credentialed as a provider for Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Scott & White Health Plan.

Your physician will be contacted to provide a referral, and you will be asked to bring your health insurance card and co-pay.  We will file a claim based on your physician’s referral and accepted insurance codes. Payment or co-pays are due at the time of service

Language is the act of putting thoughts into words and then putting the words together to make a rational and intelligible word, phrase, sentence or story.

A language disorder refers to a difficulty understanding or putting words together to communicate ideas. For example, a child who almost always says, “this one” when trying to name specific objects may have a language problem.

Speech is the motor act of speaking: turning the language that we have come up with in our brains into sounds, words and sentences that someone else can understand.

A speech disorder refers to a problem producing sounds, and varies according to the age of the child. For example, a child older than 5 years who says “wabbit” instead of “rabbit” has a speech problem.  Older children and adults who have difficulty producing any sound usually have speech disorders.

Speech and/or language disorders can be associated with:

• Autism

• Cerebral Palsy and other motor problems

• Cleft Palate

• Developmental and Language Delays

• Hearing Loss

• Learning Disabilities

• Traumatic Brain Injuries

Many children experience speech or language challenges as they grow. Some of these are a natural part of typical language development; others are more complicated issues that may or may not be associated with global developmental issues. Wherever your child is on the language development continuum, if intervention is needed, early intervention yields the best results.

Your child might need speech or language services if he or she:

• Has difficulty understanding what people are saying, or following directions
• Has difficulty telling you what he or she wants
• Is seldom understood
• Is speaking differently from children of the same age
• Stutters on words or parts of words
• Sounds hoarse for more than one week

When you enter the waiting area, I will greet you and your child and talk with him or her about what to expect in the therapy room. Depending upon your child’s age, we will talk about playing with toys and looking at pictures, or helping your child to feel better about his or her speech.  Please bring the completed history and other requested papers to the evaluation to enable me to write the report and send the report promptly.

Your initial presence in the room may help your child feel more comfortable. A very young child may need you for support and reassurance.  As soon as your child begins to accept and feel comfortable with me, the child-therapist relationship is strengthened when parents to go back to the waiting area for the remainder of the session.  Toward the end of the session, I will send your child to ask you to come into the therapy room to see what I great job he has done!

As I provide supplemental home activities and charts for each subsequent therapy session, it is important for the parent or caretaker to bring the child and observe the last ten minutes of therapy.

The initial evaluation session normally lasts from 1 hour to 90 minutes, including discussion with parents. Evaluation times depend on the age, attention span and presenting disorder of the child. In some cases it may be necessary to offer a further session to complete assessments.

Therapy sessions generally last from 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Session times depend upon the diagnosis and age of the child, and will include working with your child, parent observation and home assignment.

Yes. For therapy to be effective it is essential for key professionals and parents to work together.

Voice Therapy is intervention for a patient with a voice disorder, including:

• Voice hygiene program
• Information on reducing acid reflux
• Correct breathing techniques
• Exercises to strengthen the vocal muscles
• Exercises to reduce vocal and neck tension
• Supplemental home program for faster progress

Yes, A voice evaluation can be scheduled before or after seeing a physician.  However, as voice disorders can be caused by physiological and/or neurological conditions, a referral from an Ear Nose & Throat or other physician is required prior to initiating therapy.