FAQ

– SLP is an acronym for “Speech Language Pathologist,” a healthcare professional with a Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from an accredited college or university, skilled at identifying and treating communication and swallowing disorders. CCC stands for “Certificate of Clinical Competence.” To gain the C’s, an SLP must have completed a year of Clinical Fellowship post graduation, complete at least 30 continuing education hour credits every 3 years, and be in good standing with the American Speech and Hearing Association. In Ontario, SLPs are regulated by the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario.

– Individuals requiring speech therapy may include kids and adults identified with speech sound disorders, language disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, cognitive impairments, apraxia of speech, traumatic brain injury, feeding and/or swallowing disorders, autism, down syndrome, dementia, etc.

– Is your child’s “delay” age appropriate? Can your father’s memory decline be slowed down through an individualized exercise program? Is your toddler a “picky eater” and can her food repertoire be expanded? Are you noticing your parent coughing/choking at meals and are concerned with their swallowing function? For children with speech and language delays, early intervention is shown to be extremely important in preventing literacy based difficulties later in school. If you are concerned about your loved one’s communication or swallowing – contact us for a free consultation.

– We will speak to you via phone (for 10-15 min) or e-mail and answer any questions or concerns that you may have. We will explain how services work and if further testing or therapy are recommended, we will complete paperwork to get the process started.

– An assessment session typically takes 60 minutes to complete; however, it may take longer, depending on the type of concern. In this case, an assessment ill be stretched over several sessions, and you will be informed in advance. During the initial visit, you will 1) complete our intake form (contact us to receive the form via e-mail) and 2) answer some caregiver interview questions. For toddlers and younger kids, the process will involve a combination of 3) an observation of their interaction with you, 4) a play-based assessment, and whenever possible, 5) a formal test. For school aged children and adults, 3) a formal, standardized test will be used to assess their communication skills. A swallowing assessment involved food trials and details will be discussed with you in advance.

– A treatment session is usually comprised of 50 minute of direct therapy and 10 minutes of session review, caregiver coaching, and discussion on a home program, to generalize skills from therapy to one’s natural setting.

– It is challenging to predetermine the exact amount of time an individual will require therapy. There are several factors at play. Our goal at Step-By-Step Speech is to guide individuals through therapy as efficiently as possible.  The quicker they are successful in their communicative/swallowing abilities, the quicker they will be able to generalize their skills to their natural environment.

-Rates are based on the Ontario Speech-Language Association (OSLA) recommendations.

-Available payment methods include:  Mastercard, Visa, e-transfer, cheque and cash.

– No problem! We serve many children and adults who are also receiving services elsewhere. The more therapy an individual receives the quicker progress the individual will likely make. With your permission, we will gladly collaborate with other healthcare providers involved, to ensure effective and continuous care.

– There are a few options that may be available to help you meet the financial requirements of therapy. These options consist of insurance reimbursement, grant money, charity money, and government programs. You may also contact us for a free consultation, to determine if any of these options may be applicable to you.

– No. A referral from a Doctor is not required to access speech therapy.  You may either self-refer, or receive a recommendation to consult an SLP (e.g., from a physician/paediatrician, teacher, behaviour therapist, dentist/orthodontist, etc.)