A Guide to Finding the Best SLP in Your Area | Tips and Tricks
Finding a good speech therapist to help resolve your particular issues can be daunting. The type of disorder, the therapist's qualifications, budgetary restraints, the speech-language pathologist's (SLP) availability, and yours all factor into the decision.
You should also be able to relate to the speech therapist, and be assured they have the know-how to evaluate the client and tailor an effective treatment regime. That may sound like a lot to ask, but at Linguabilities we offer highly-qualified SLP therapists that fit the bill.
In this article, we'll discuss what you should consider when looking for a speech therapist.
What to Consider When Selecting a Speech Therapist
Speech and language disorders are just one aspect of speech therapy. Social- and cognitive-communication, oral-motor, or feeding and swallowing issues also fall under the umbrella of speech-language pathology (SLP).
Speech therapists can often work with clients across the age spectrum and evaluate a range of diagnoses. Still, when asking yourself how to choose the best speech therapist, it is advisable to find someone who deals specifically with your issues. This involves examining the therapist's credentials, including their clinical specialty.
A therapist experienced in treating similar clients will likely make more headway than one who has not previously dealt with an issue. For instance, an SLP specializing in Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, a type of speech treatment used chiefly for adults with neurological conditions like Parkinson's disease, may not be the SLP who would best deal with a young child with a stutter.
Other considerations include:
Expense
Private speech therapy can be costly, but it is specially structured around the client, and insurance may reduce these costs.
Speech therapy may be offered at your child's school
The advantage is that therapists can work with teachers to benefit the child, but most schools do not provide individualized attention where each child's struggles, strengths, and speech targets are recognized. Group sessions will likely include children whose needs and proficiencies are all different. With holidays, regular sessions are unlikely, and there may be reams of paperwork for parents to fill out.
Local colleges sometimes offer speech therapy options
Students studying speech therapy under the supervision of a licensed therapist will see the client on specific days. Still, the disadvantage here is that the therapist is unlikely to be the same each time, so the client may not be able to build a strong working relationship with them. Student availability is also not a given.
Online speech therapy has become a viable and popular alternative to in-person treatment
The therapist does not have to pay for staff, offices, or gas, so the cost of virtual therapy is likely to be lower than traditional in-person therapy and offers more convenience to the client than the other options. Video conferencing software facilitates the therapy session.
Ideally, the therapist should be experienced in working with and engaging clients online. They should have techniques in their repertoire for holding the client's attention and, in the case of children, especially, creating an entertaining learning environment via tools such as different backgrounds and computer games.
Top 10 Traits Every Speech Language Pathologist Should Have
Every speech-language pathologist (SLP) should strive to have or develop certain traits to best serve their clients and excel in their field.
These traits include:
Desire to help and connect with clients
Good health and grooming
Strong listening skills
Cognitive abilities
Respect for others
Teaching skills
Perseverance
Organization
Resourcefulness
Adaptability
A thorough understanding of biological and social sciences
In addition to the above, SLPs must maintain professional conduct, adhere to ethical standards, and work collaboratively with other professionals to achieve the best outcomes for their clients.
Where Do I Find a Qualified Speech Therapist Near Me?
If you are looking for a qualified speech therapist in your area, there are several resources you can consult:
1. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) has a directory of local speech therapists who hold a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC).
2. Your healthcare provider, insurance company, or school district may also have a list of local therapists.
3. Early childhood intervention programs may be able to assist in finding a therapist for children under kindergarten age.
4. College speech therapy students may offer treatment, but consistency may be an issue due to rotating schedules.
5. You can also work on at-home communication skills using resources such as the Hanen Center's It Takes Two to Talk: A Practical Guide for Parents of Children with Language Delays while seeking a therapist.
When you find the right clinician, they should be willing to collaborate with you to help your child.
What Do the 3 C's stand for in CCC-SLP, and Why Are They Important?
An SLP certified by the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA) is compelled to participate in 400 hours of supervised clinical experience in the practice of speech-language pathology during graduate school. A total of 375 hours must be spent in direct client contact.
There are several hoops an SLP graduate must jump through before they obtain their Certificate of Clinical Competence.
They must complete the coursework and supervised clinical experiences.
They must have a master's degree in speech pathology or communication disorders.
They must have passed a national Praxis exam.
They will have spent 36 weeks gaining full-time professional experience as Clinical Fellows.
Once they have fulfilled these requirements, they must complete graduate coursework specific to their practice's scope. Such options include Articulation Disorders, Communication Disorders, Voice Disorders, Motor Speech Disorders, Stuttering, Neurogenic, Dysphagia, Language Acquisition, and more.
Risks of Inadequate Training
It should be noted therapists who are not properly trained can inflict significant physical and emotional harm as they do not have the education and training to ascertain whether a problem could be a motor issue, whether there are anatomical and physiological deficits, or whether a child has accompanying health problems which are secondary to feeding difficulties.
If a reward/punishment system is in place, but the child is not physically or cognitively capable of completing a task, their emotional and physical well-being is placed at risk.
Parents should be aware that a diagnosis of autism does not necessarily include an accompanying intellectual disability or accompanying receptive and expressive language impairment. To find out more about speech therapy that is geared toward Autism Spectrum Disorder, click here.
Online Speech Therapy Services Available Online
Linguabilities is an SLP provider with the right SLP to help you get the most out of your online speech therapy experience.
Remote speech therapy can help you overcome speech barriers and change how you communicate without leaving your home or even explaining your requirements to a telephonist.
Easy to use and designed to fit into busy schedules, Linguabilities' online program is accessed at the click of a button and makes light work of therapy sessions, which, when conducted in person, often entail some degree of stress in terms of rescheduling activities, rushing to appointments, facing heavy traffic and paying through the nose.
Since clinicians can do away with office, staff, and travel costs by working from home, online SLP support is also more affordable and accessible to clients than in-person therapy.