Average cost of SLP?

[momsuz123]

So, in case my insurance doesn't cover, what is the average cost of a SLP? The Childrens hospital here charges $170/45 minutes if you pay up front/out of pocket only. Another place I may send my dd is charging $29/15 minutes (about $90/45 minutes). Thanks.

[Crimson Wife]

Consider yourself lucky. Private pay in my neck of the woods is ~$300 per 45 min. session. There is a clinic at the local Cal State where students training to be SLP's work under supervision and that has a sliding scale but they only take a certain number of cases per semester.

[momsuz123]

Consider yourself lucky. Private pay in my neck of the woods is ~$300 per 45 min. session. There is a clinic at the local Cal State where students training to be SLP's work under supervision and that has a sliding scale but they only take a certain number of cases per semester.

 

WOW. The childrens hospital does charge about $280/45 minutes when they can charge the insurance. But "only" $170/45 minutes if it is cash.

[wapiti]

If I recall correctly, our Children's Hospital charges more than double the going private rate. I don't know what the exact going rate is here anymore, but I think we paid in the range of $50 per half hour (or was it $90? :tongue_smilie: I think 90/hour), four years ago. I don't know about the insurance issue, as ours was not covered.

 

If you know any other therapy providers, e.g., OT, etc., they may be able to refer you to non-Children's speech therapists. Around here, it can be hard to find ones that do not work for the school district.

[Acorn]

We pay $94/30 min. at a children's hospital. The initial eval. was more, maybe $200 ish.

[Jennifer-72]

Well I am in Canada, so probably not to helpful for your average, but I only pay $125/hr. When ds started 4 years ago it was around 115/hr. OT is generally $90 -100/hour and PT is $100/hr.

[rafiki]

.

[PeterPan]

Oh my. We pay $100 an hour here. Even that's a lot of money. I've heard things are more expensive in CA, but $200-300 an hour? Wow.

 

All I can say is have them show you what to do and do stuff at home yourself. Don't drop the therapy, because you need the help. But see how much they can teach you to do so that you can get the frequency and expense down. We're *used* to teaching our kids, working with them, and doing things to them. Therapy is just one more thing. I was amazed when I went to the parent workshop for our speech therapy (PROMPT) and realized how many of the parents were afraid even to touch their dc, let alone helping him make the sounds. As a homeschooler, you're not a afraid, and you're willing to learn.

[Lecka]

My son's private speech is paid for by insurance, but I think it would be $75/hour if we paid. We get a billing statement and our insurance is billed $75/hour.

 

They have told me only to model correct speech, not to directly work with him.

 

This is b/c he was practicing errors with me, b/c I could not get him to make the correct sound.

 

I don't know anyone else who has been told this.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Lecka

[Slipper]

My oldest has needed a lot of therapy over the years (still does actually). Because it was so expensive (and insurance was poor), we would ask them to show us how and then do as much as we could ourselves. We paid for evaluations (that would actually give us direction, rather than just another gloomy diagnosis). If you are up-front and tell them that you can't afford it, most therapists are happy to write notes for you, make copies of pertinent articles, etc.

 

Also, our Children's Hospital here had a sliding scale for fees that were significantly lower (although there was a waiting list).

 

I'd also ask around about private therapists. The economy is rough right now and while SLP's are in high demand, there will always be some who have partners who are out of work at the moment and are therefore picking up extra $$$'s on the side. You could do private pay for weekly visits, etc.

[Slipper]

My son's private speech is paid for by insurance, but I think it would be $75/hour if we paid. We get a billing statement and our insurance is billed $75/hour.

 

They have told me only to model correct speech, not to directly work with him.

 

This is b/c he was practicing errors with me, b/c I could not get him to make the correct sound.

 

I don't know anyone else who has been told this.

 

Can you ask them to spend part of his therapy session teaching YOU how to get HIM to make the correct sound? Nobody is perfect but if they can teach him, surely they can teach you? And once you know, you can help him.

[Disney Dreaming]

Speech charges about $300 per session(1 hr). I haven't seen what insurance is going to write off yet. We were fortunate to have only co-pays last year(not so lucky this year). OT charges about $200 per session(1hr).

[PeterPan]

We don't want to dissect Lecka, but it *is* true there are situations where the parent has speech problems themselves or honestly doesn't hear the differences or doesn't feel comfortable doing it or whatever. If that's the case, it's a good thing we have SLPs willing to do it for them! Doing stuff at home is for people for whom that works. We're all just doing the best we can. While it would have been *nice* if they could have helped Lecka to be able to help at home (the practitioner pride thing in these expensive practices gets so old), at least they figured out what would work best in Lecka's situation. And you know, if I hadn't lived so stinkin' far from the SLP, I might have been in a position to do that too. It's just the weekly 5 hours round trip was killing me, so doing things at home fit my situation better. And if the money is really tight for the op, that's how you can make it work.

[momsuz123]

Good news! I found a SLP (referred to me through our homeschool network) that just left a large private practice to do IN HOME SLP. My dd does not necessarily need help with the "speech" part of things, it is the "language" part of things - they are still sorting it out - but like a language processing disorder. Boy, it sure is making school "fun". If insurance doesn't cover, then she charges $75/hour. I can do that - just work a few more weekends, but it's worth it. I don't know anything about language processing disorders, so we both need help.

Thanks again to all of you who have really helped me get started on this journey. I know I will need more help as we keep going. A lot of people don't get what it is like to deal with a child who may have more "subtle" special needs. My dd seems like she has no issues. It is only when you get to know her and see her struggling academically that they start to show up.

[Slipper]

We don't want to dissect Lecka, but it *is* true there are situations where the parent has speech problems themselves or honestly doesn't hear the differences or doesn't feel comfortable doing it or whatever. If that's the case, it's a good thing we have SLPs willing to do it for them! Doing stuff at home is for people for whom that works. We're all just doing the best we can. While it would have been *nice* if they could have helped Lecka to be able to help at home (the practitioner pride thing in these expensive practices gets so old), at least they figured out what would work best in Lecka's situation. And you know, if I hadn't lived so stinkin' far from the SLP, I might have been in a position to do that too. It's just the weekly 5 hours round trip was killing me, so doing things at home fit my situation better. And if the money is really tight for the op, that's how you can make it work.

 

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Lecka, I am so sorry if my post was insensitive. I was thinking back to when my dd was diagnosed (at 1 yr old, she was that severe) we weren't even able to give her a bath without problems. We had a lot of help and couldn't afford the extra that she needed. We split all of her therapy sessions in half so that the therapist worked with her and we watched and then we did the therapy while the therapist watched. I had that in my mind when I posted.

 

Again, I'm sorry if I spoke out of turn. :(

[Lecka]

Not at all!

 

I think it is a consideration though -- that you may not be able to duplicate what a speech therapist does.

 

My son did not produce some sounds so he had to be taught to produce them.

 

I am not able to prompt him. To prompt him the speech therapist might point at her throat or point at her mouth and have him repeat. For some sounds she might have him hold his throat and hold his tongue down with a tongue depressor to try to make those sounds. (He did not make K and G sounds ever until he got into speech and it was very difficult for him to learn.)

 

He was having some tantrums when I couldn't understand what he was saying.

 

At the same time, he is very good, that if I model a sound, he will try to say it. I am supposed to be positive whether he says it correctly or not, but let him know when he does say it correctly.

 

He did not go there -- but for a little while they were afraid he would quit talking. He had some starting signs of this, and that was another reason.

 

Now if I have to ask him to repeat himself he will repeat himself, but for a little while he was saying, "no, it's not important." Not good.

 

So basically a) it can be an emotionally fraught subject and b) either he will repeat a modeled word, or not, but I am not able to actually prompt him in the way the SLPs can.

 

Right now he is 6 and his intelligibility is about 80%. But he has made huge gains in the past year or so (with private speech and also some things just coming together). He is still in the bottom 10% for articulation and this summer when he was tested his articulation age equivalent was 2 years 11 months.

 

edit: In the summer when he did testing, when he started the private speech, age 6 -- he had Oral Language Expression 98% and Articulation less than 10th percentile. The Expression is what his expression would have been if people could understand what he was saying. So -- very frustrating for him to try to talk!

Edited January 11, 2012 by Lecka

[PeterPan]

Lecka, are you sure you have the right diagnosis? What you're describing sounds like apraxia. PROMPT would be much more effective for this (as in MIRACULOUS), and it's something they could teach you to help with at home. You need a new speech therapist. I know that's blunt, but I'm just saying if it is apraxia (which is an awful lot like what it sounds like), you don't have the right speech therapist. Go to the PROMPT institute and use their search engine.

[PeterPan]

Good news! I found a SLP (referred to me through our homeschool network) that just left a large private practice to do IN HOME SLP. My dd does not necessarily need help with the "speech" part of things, it is the "language" part of things - they are still sorting it out - but like a language processing disorder. Boy, it sure is making school "fun". If insurance doesn't cover, then she charges $75/hour. I can do that - just work a few more weekends, but it's worth it. I don't know anything about language processing disorders, so we both need help.

Thanks again to all of you who have really helped me get started on this journey. I know I will need more help as we keep going. A lot of people don't get what it is like to deal with a child who may have more "subtle" special needs. My dd seems like she has no issues. It is only when you get to know her and see her struggling academically that they start to show up.

 

Has she also had a regular neuropsych or ed psych eval? Just asking, because there are things that *look* like speech problems and manifest that way that are actually because of working memory and processing speed, things a psych evals. My dd does some things that drive me batty with speech and language, and it's her processing speed. My cousin stutters and got speech therapy, but they told them the issue was processing speed.

[Lecka]

And, the in-home SLP sounds great!!!! I hope she is a great fit for your daughter!

[Lecka]

Okay, I am going to look again.

 

I looked once before and it didn't sound like him.

 

But, I have heard from another person (off this board) that it sounds like apraxia to her, too.

 

However -- he is making good progress in private speech right now! But -- they do say they usually see kids make a lot faster progress with articulation. Also -- they say he "should" be less intelligible with his specific articulation things, but he uses words that will be understood, and so that makes him more intelligible.

 

edit: he did have a language evaluation in June so I have thought that meant he just had articulation

 

edit 2: I have looked again and I don't think he has apraxia. He started speech therapy when he was 4, made a little progress, made very little progress in K (with group speech), got recommended for private speech, started that in June -- and he has made progress since June.

 

I am going to ask, though. And look through his testing evaluation.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Lecka

[PeterPan]

Okay, I am going to look again.

 

I looked once before and it didn't sound like him.

 

But, I have heard from another person (off this board) that it sounds like apraxia to her, too.

 

However -- he is making good progress in private speech right now! But -- they do say they usually see kids make a lot faster progress with articulation. Also -- they say he "should" be less intelligible with his specific articulation things, but he uses words that will be understood, and so that makes him more intelligible.

 

Ok Lecka, I'm going to be blunt. Not only does it sound like apraxia, but (if it is) the regular speech therapy (with those meager, crappy results) is keeping you from getting the RIGHT therapy that would give ASTOUNDING results. Check out PROMPT. The difference is night and day. Your dc does not have to remain unintelligible and having such slow progress.

[Lecka]

Yeah, I have been happy with his progress since June, compared to his progress the year before....... but it is still kind-of crappy progress.

 

I am not worried about him being bullied or teased right now and that has let me quit focusing on it.

 

I am looking into this.

[momsuz123]

Has she also had a regular neuropsych or ed psych eval? Just asking, because there are things that *look* like speech problems and manifest that way that are actually because of working memory and processing speed, things a psych evals. My dd does some things that drive me batty with speech and language, and it's her processing speed. My cousin stutters and got speech therapy, but they told them the issue was processing speed.

 

Yes, we went though a child development center through our Children's Hospital. She saw a neuropsych (he was anti-hsing), a medical doctor, and the SLP. The neuropsych guy said she was average on all his tests, but because she is only 6 (although, she is a first grader by ps standards), he can't test her the "school age" stuff yet - does that make sense. Like the dyslexia and APD test, she is too young for that - although she threw up a ton of red flags for dyslexia. The SLP stated she can't say for certain it is a language processing disorder yet, but that she definitely tested below average in the most areas of lang processing. Now that I do school with her, I personally think her memory isn't great at all, we will cover something and then 10 seconds later it is like she didn't hear it all. Ugh. Patience, patience. I am totally open to any and all advice, so give it to me at any time. Thanks. :)

[PeterPan]

Well if you've found an SLP who thinks she can help, that's awesome! That's a shame you got such a frustrating, unhs-friendly np eval. What you can do is ask the SLP for things to do at home. I know our SLP buys things from Linguisystems, and that's stuff you can buy and implement yourself at home. Tell her you're comfortable implementing concrete things like that if she has suggestions. Or ask her for what the categories are so you can search Linguisystems yourself for things that would work. Michele here on the boards is also using stuff from Super-Duper Publications that would be great for speech and language work.

[merry gardens]

Yes, we went though a child development center through our Children's Hospital. She saw a neuropsych (he was anti-hsing), a medical doctor, and the SLP. The neuropsych guy said she was average on all his tests, but because she is only 6 (although, she is a first grader by ps standards), he can't test her the "school age" stuff yet - does that make sense. Like the dyslexia and APD test, she is too young for that - although she threw up a ton of red flags for dyslexia. The SLP stated she can't say for certain it is a language processing disorder yet, but that she definitely tested below average in the most areas of lang processing. Now that I do school with her, I personally think her memory isn't great at all, we will cover something and then 10 seconds later it is like she didn't hear it all. Ugh. Patience, patience. I am totally open to any and all advice, so give it to me at any time. Thanks. :)

Momsuz,

When my ds had his second speech evaluation, the slp discovered phonological awareness problems and memory problems. She gave us recommendations for the phonological awareness problems, but not for the memory problems. My ds has dyslexia along with a bad memory, (although he remembers some things remarkably well if/when they mean something to him.)

 

In retrospect, I wish we had done more right away to work on his memory. All the remediation we've done for reading, the hardest part is when he forgets what we just covered. It makes things ten times harder when we have to do things ten times.

 

Slp's sometimes work on memory, as do some other professionals. You may want to check out some old threads; yllek has posted some ideas that her ds's speech therapist did to improve his memory. I've played some games with my ds to improve his visual and auditory memory. Linguisystems has materials to work on memory.

 

If you recognize that your dd's memory is a potential problem, work on it! Even if it's not a serious problem, work on it. A good memory can help significantly in addressing the other issues, and a bad memory will get in the way of all your other work.