Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about the services:
General Questions
Yes! Most of our services can be provided virtually. Please call 914-488-5282 for more information.
Each of our speech language pathologists has different areas of specialty. Some of them specialize in language, while others specialize in feeding. They all have a specialty in articulation.
As for Isa Marrs, she is a PROMPT trained Speech Language Pathologist who specializes in Feeding, Pragmatic Language & Articulation Disorders in Children. Within those areas she has a great deal of experience and expertise in a broad range of delays and disorders ranging from mild articulation errors to severe disorders relating to apraxia, cleft lip/palate, velopharyngeal insufficiency, autism, cerebral palsy, and various genetic syndromes. Please see Isa Marrs In Her Own Words for a more information.
Depending on your child's speech, language or feeding goals the amount of time your child may require therapy will differ greatly.
A child with minor articulation errors may require therapy for 6 months to a year while a child with a more severe language disorder may require on-going speech and language therapy for many years.
Even when comparing children with similar speech and language characteristics rate of progress will vary. The reason for this is differences in personality, family lifestyle/priorities as well as the duration and frequency of the sessions. All of these factors will impact progress.
If a therapist reports how long therapy will take prior to working with your child you should be very wary.
A basic therapy session is 30 minutes; however, length of sessions may be adjusted according to a child's specific needs. For example a child with an articulation disorder such as apraxia requires shorter more frequent sessions, while a child with a language disorder and a variety of speech and language needs may benefit from a longer session.
In general, at least two sessions per week are required for speech, language or feeding therapy. Studies show that more frequent therapy equals more progress faster. In other words more frequent therapy leads to less therapy needed overall.
Part of the reason for this is that less regression occurs between sessions. When a child only receives therapy once a week they forget much of what they learned from week to week. So each progress is much slower.
That said, depending on a family's ability and willingness to carry over therapy techniques at home this could be and is often adjusted.
It is important that you carry over skills taught in the therapy environment into the home environment. With this said, every child is different and their willingness to practice their skills at home varies greatly.
Most often we will have parents work with their children on goals that have already been achieved in therapy in order to avoid regression and to maximize the time we have in therapy appointments. If a child resists we may recommend an increase in therapy visits in order to increase progress achieved.
Reinforcement systems at home are often an option that encourages children to carry over their new skills.
No, we do not take health insurance because we believe that taking health insurance impedes quality of care. We believe our time is better spent helping your child, and not dealing with insurance companies. However, if your insurance company is willing to cover out of network services, we will provide you with documentation to help you with your claim so that you can get reimbursement from your insurance company.
We take cash, check, Mastercard and Visa only.
What we mean is that your child's therapy session will start on time.
We know you have a busy life. Most of us do. And even though we have clients who come early, stay late and occasionally come on days when they don't have an appointment just to play in our waiting room, we know you have better things to do than "wait". That's why we created a "No Waiting Office".
While we give ourselves a little bit of wiggle room just in case, your child's therapy session is guaranteed to start within 7 minutes of its scheduled time or it's FREE. It's that simple. Of course that also means you better not be late!
Yes, we do provide speech, language, and feeding therapy in the home. We understand that many families are pressed for time, and need therapy in the home environment. Home based sessions are provided on a limited basis and are subject to special terms.
If you are pressed for time or unable to come to one of our offices, we can also provide virtual services. Call 914-488-5282 for more information.
Speech and Language Questions
An articulation "disorder" is most often more severe and will require therapeutic intervention to correct or improve. On the other hand it is possible, yet not definite, that a child will grow out of an articulation "delay."
For more information please click here.
Wrongly used by most speech therapists, oral-motor therapy uses a variety of exercises to develop awareness, strength, coordination, and mobility of the oral muscles. For more information about how and when oral-motor therapy should be used, click here.
Feeding and Picky Eating Questions
The short answer is that a picky eater will not starve himself (or herself), but a problem eater might.
A picky eater is a child who has picky behaviors, but can learn to eat a broader diet and change the bad habits that are negatively impacting themselves and their families.
Problem eaters have more severe food aversions and typically have some underlying behavior or physical issues that are impacting their eating habits.
A few of the common reasons feeding therapy is used is to address behavioral, physiological (difficulty with the function of the structures of the mouth and throat) and structural issues that impact a child’s ability or willingness to eat appropriately. For more detailed information please click here.