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Getting Started: FAQ
What are speech‑language pathologists (SLPs)?
Answer: Think of SLPs as communication specialists. SLPs study nine major areas of communication science, and those areas overlap in all kinds of complicated ways — which is exactly why this profession exists.
SLPs can work with people of all ages. They handle pretty much anything that affects communication: speech, language, voice, fluency, cognition, swallowing — the whole spectrum. Some SLPs stay more general, while others may dive deep into a specialty and serve exclusively to one population only. At the end of the day, certified SLPs are the go‑to experts when it comes to speech, language, and dysphagia (a swallowing disorder).
Do you offer hippotherapy/ horse therapy?
Answer: There are horses that, yes, April can incorporate into some of your sessions, however, doctor prescriptions must state "speech and language services" and not "hippotherapy," and here's why. For insurance and medical reasons, therapists have to use very specific wording. Therapy work, involving an equine partner or not, must be differentiated as the clinical service being prescribed so as not to be confused with it being recreational. Also, a horse incorporated into a therapy session in medical literature is defined as a tool and not as therapy. It is for these reasons that a prescription for hippotherapy results in denials of coverage and should be avoided.
How long does treatment take?
Answer: There’s no set timeline as everyone comes in with their own history, challenges, and circumstance. This means no one‑size‑fits‑all answer, even though it would make it easier. First, a treatment plan of care would need to be developed, then, once treatment is underway, recommendations to continue treatment will be made if meaningful progress is deemed necessary. Path to Speech gathers input from the caregiver and patient to further personalize the plan of care. Therapy will be discontinued once clinically significant progress can no longer be made.
With all that being said, treatment results in general are better when duration was over eight weeks, according to a meta-analysis study by Law, Garrett, and Nye (2005). Recommendations for length of treatment time is primarily based off of skilled clinical judgement.
When does a course of therapy end?
Otherwise known as discharge planning, the end of therapy is typically discussed in the beginning so we can all be on the same page. Some people improve quickly, others won't, and that's okay as we are all built differently and have different needs. It really boils down to several factors: how many systems are affected, motivation, and how well skills carryover beyond a session. Sometimes other issues also need to be addressed in order to get to the purpose of therapy, such as those related to negative or maladaptive behaviors, and Path to Speech is good at peeling back the layers. Sometimes it can take multiple sessions before you can see a breakthrough but there is one thing that's for sure, therapy will be recommended as long as there is still valuable progress to be made.
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
Answer: If you’re on the fence, here’s the good news: early intervention rarely hurts, but waiting too long can make things trickier down the road — especially as kids grow and those habits really settle in. Communication therapy prevents a less complex communication impairment from snowballing into a challenging one, resulting in a longer course of treatment.
When should I get my child tested?
If something feels “off” or you just have that parent gut feeling, getting an evaluation is a simple first step. It doesn’t lock you into anything, rather, it gives you solid information to make the best informed decision. Therapy plans of care are created based on testing results. Better safe than sorry, and better early than late!
What will my child do in therapy?
Answer: A plan of care is built based upon a combination of the review of past reports, testing/prior testing, and your input. Specific goals are then next created and a plan of care is developed. What happens in session depends entirely on what your child's needs are. Caregivers that report their perspective on interests and disinterests, behaviors and what has worked or hasn't worked in the past can work wonders on decreasing length of therapy plans and on meeting long-term goals.
Will I attend my child’s speech‑language therapy sessions?
Answer: Every family is different, so your participation is totally optional — but it can make a big difference in some cases. Parental involvement could potentially be the secret sauce in achieving desired results for some children, whereas with others clear communication across active or past providers could be all that's needed to achieve goals. During equine partnered sessions parents typically remain outside the fence and watch.
Would I be better off with a larger therapy company?
Answer: All SLPs are certified the same way and complete the same training to earn their degrees. A larger company would be more suited for you if you prefer a traditional clinic with the possibility of rotating clinicians instead of a single clinician. You may have a better chance at sustaining a long-term rapport and relationship with one clinician and a smaller business means less bureaucratic red tape to deal with. Path to Speech doesn't have a team of professionals driving the numbers, so that potentially can also add more value and personalized care.
Answer: A CCC‑SLP is a certified speech‑language pathologist — basically the fully trained, fully credentialed SLP.
When you see “CCC‑SLP,” it means the clinician has completed all training, passed all requirements, and has met national and state standards, such as: clocked in on 400+ hours of hands-on clinical experience, holds an active state license, has earned a bachelor's degree, and also earned a master's degree in communicative sciences and disorders.
Do you treat swallowing or dysphagia in adults?
Answer: Yes. Imaging reports (MBSS or FEES) of the swallow is a standard procedure records request for onboarding new dysphagia patients. Collection of case history and pertinent medical records is also standard for plan of care development.
How do I know if this is right for me or my family member?
Answer: Still on the fence? The answer to this really depends on if you consider this to be a necessary life skill. Submit your request below and we can get you on the right path! If neither animals or nature is of interest than this would not be a good match for sessions to be on-site at the farm.
