If I want to have my 2yo's communication evaluated...

[blondeviolin]

...where do I go? The pediatrician? Or do I start with the school district/head start?

[happypamama]

Depends on your area and health insurance. In my state, the public school can provide services such as speech therapy, but I opted not to go through them, for several reasons. Our insurance covers speech therapy, so I asked our family doctor, who my children see I stead of a pediatrician, for a referral, and she happily wrote one. Her office took care of finding one that took our I durance, and then after we met with the therapist, she wrote a request for services. As long as she submitted periodic requests for more services (I think she requested three months of services at a time), and our doctor signed off on them, the insurance gave us no grief at all. I think you first need to talk to your insurance, then your doctor if the insurance covers speech.

 

I have heard that you may also be able to go through places like Easter Seals, so you could contact them too.

[blondeviolin]

We have decent insurance. When I checked with my older son, the insurance would pay if the delay was at a certain (low-ish) point. My concern with Hyrum is not articulation like it was with Emmett. I am wondering if there's a processing issue or something.

 

I'll check with my pedi. Thanks!

[zoobie]

Google Early Intervention and your state for state-funded evals for kids under 3 (though ask about costs because they can be free or done on a sliding scale). Call your health insurance company to see what's covered for private speech evals, and ask whether you need a referral from your ped or can set it up directly. Your ped may be able to recommend someone good with your age child.

[Caroline]

I started at the pediatrician.

[Arcadia]

Here the school district takes over after the child turns 3. So I would get the referral from the pediatrician.

[K&Rs Mom]

 

When I had a 3yo who needed speech therapy, I tried the school district but got no response until the pediatrician called the school district, then it was immediate.  :glare:

 

[wonderchica]

2 year old can go through your state's early intervention program or a private speech agency.

 

ETA: Schools don't cover children for therapy until they are three.

[Mrs Mungo]

It really depends upon your state and your insurance. Each state has wildly different rules on this. So, a good place to start is a local pediatrician.

[redsquirrel]

If she is under 3 then she falls under the auspices of Early Intervention. You can make an appt with your pediatrician, but you don't need to. You don't need a referral and you don't need your ped to agree that she be evaluated. You can just call. It should be in the phone book (do they still make phone books?) under either 'early intervention' or you can call your local health department and just ask to speak to someone in the Early Intervention program.
 

 

FYI, they are under mandates to act promptly. So, if you call I think you get visited within maybe three days by a public health nurse who comes to the house, meets you and gives you information and stuff. They are generally very nice people. They are not CPS or anything like that. These are public health nurses. Then you get an appt for an evaluation. If she is two they will prob do it in your house. It might be the public health nurse coming back with a speech therapist or a speech therapist and an occupational therapist etc. They do an eval right in your home so it is not stressful for your child. My son had one a long time ago and he really liked it. All those nice ladies coming with toys to play with him! They let him dump out their toys and they played with him. He had a grand time.

 

When I did it, they told me right then and there that he qualified for speech therapy and OT. There wasn't really much doubt. I was asked what I thought he needed and I asked for speech therapy and OT. Now, depending on what it is like in your county you might be able to ask for as much therapy as you want. My son had pretty limited speech and I had a friend who is a speech therapist and she pushed me to ask for four sessions a week. I asked for four and got three. Now, years later (he is about to be 9 and still gets speech therapy) I am so, so glad I pushed for lots of therapy early on. I really and truly think that it made a huge huge difference for him.

 

The therapy was free and it was in my home and it was three 45 min session a week one on one. He also had two 45 min OT sessions a week. It was fabulous. He had that from 16 months old until the September after he turned three. His birthday is in January so he was almost four. Then, the September after he turned three the school district took over the therapy but everything about it stayed the same. He had the same therapist, the same amount and it was still in my home and it was free. When he was kindergarten aged (so 5 in this state) I had to start bringing him to the school for his therapy. I live around the corner from elementary school so it's not a big deal. He is now a third grader and we still go once a week for speech and twice a week for OT. I think we are going to be stopping therapy finally next month.

 

 

[LMV]

Before age three evaluation and services should be provided through whatever your state's early intervention program is called. After age three then evaluation/services are provided through your school district.  In many cases your insurance may also cover these benefits and it may be quicker to go through a private provider.  If I was in your situation I would start with your child's pediatrician because they can refer to any of the above and they can also determine if further organic medical workup may be necessary (and order that if it is). 

[LisaKinVA]

Both of mine started with a script from the pediatrician...(not meeting milestones...)  Our insurance company covered the first, 2nd is covered through the DoDEA Child Find services. 

[sbgrace]

Our pediatrician referred us to early intervention due to missed milestones. It was free in our state at the time, though I believe that varies by state. My son received physical, occupational, speech, and developmental therapy at various points from 6 months until he was 3 years old. Around age 2.5, early intervention also sent him for a developmental evaluation at a Children's Hospital.  I believe in our state you can self refer to early intervention. Whatever the procedure, I would start there to find what's available.

[MistyMountain]

You don't need to see a pediatrician or get a referral to contact Early Intervention. I would call your local Early Intervention office. You can also go for a private evaluation since you have good insurance. The school district doesn't take kids until they turn 3.