Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between evaluation and therapy?
During an evaluation, your child's skills will be assessed to determine if there is a need for ongoing therapy. During therapy your child will work on improving skills identified during the evaluation.
How do I know if my child needs an evaluation?
An evaluation may be suggested by a physician, a teacher or other medical professionals. If you have any concerns regarding your child's speech-language or feeding skills, you can also request an evaluation. Check our developmental milestones chart for basic information regarding typical speech-language and feeding development. If you are concerned your child's skills are not where they should be, he or she might benefit from an evaluation with one of our speech-language pathologists.
If you have concerns about your child, please contact your physician to obtain a referral (order/prescription) for an evaluation.
How do I make an appointment for an evaluation?
Call 1.800.KIDS DOC and ask to be scheduled at the site closest to you. At this time you may be given the number to call the outpatient center directly.
What should I do before the evaluation?
- Obtain a physician's referral (order/prescription) for the evaluation. You may bring it with you to the appointment or have the physician fax it to the appropriate site.
- Check with your insurance provider to verify coverage for evaluation and possible treatment. It is important that you understand your benefits and that you verify insurance coverage and any restrictions.
- If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment please call 1.800.KIDS DOC no later than 24 hours before the scheduled appointment.
What should I bring to the evaluation?
- Copies of any previous evaluations or progress summaries: Speech/language therapy, occupational/physical therapy, developmental/psychological evaluations, audiology (hearing testing), ENT reports, or an individualized education plan (IEP).
- Physician referral, if not previously faxed to the department.
- You may be asked to bring other items to the evaluation. This will be discussed with you when your evaluation is scheduled.
What will happen at my child's evaluation?
- The speech-language professional will ask you questions to better understand your child's background/medical history and primary concerns.
- Standardized tests and informal observation will be used to assess areas of concern.
- Results and recommendations will be shared with you at the conclusion of this evaluation.
How long is the evaluation?
The evaluation may take one to two hours. Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time in order for check-in to be completed prior to your child's appointment. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late for your appointment, we cannot guarantee that the evaluation can be completed.
If my child needs therapy, will I be able to receive services at Children's Memorial Hospital?
We make every effort to schedule you at one of our facilities to meet your needs. If a time slot is not immediately available, we will provide you with other community resources.
How do you determine how much therapy my child needs?
The frequency of therapy is based on your child's needs. Therapy sessions typically range from 45 minutes to an hour. The therapist will consult with you on your child's progress during this time. Sessions may be scheduled on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis. How long your child will attend therapy is dependant on the severity of your child's deficits. Your child's progress will be re-evaluated approximately every three months to determine the need for continued therapy.
Is once a week enough?
Although your child is scheduled for direct therapy once a week, daily home intervention is essential to therapy progress. Your therapist will provide you with strategies or ideas to implement at home.
What if my child already had a speech-language or feeding evaluation at another facility, but we'd like to receive therapy at Children's Memorial Hospital?
The evaluation must have been completed in the past three months. If not, please schedule an evaluation appointment by calling 1.800.KIDS DOC. If you do have a current evaluation, you may call 773.880.4111 to get more information about therapy. Therapy cannot be scheduled until we receive the evaluation.
How do I make an appointment for therapy?
What should I do before my first therapy appointment?
- Obtain a physician's referral (order/prescription) for therapy. You may bring it with you to the appointment or have the physician fax it to the appropriate site.
- Check with your insurance provider to verify coverage for treatment. It is important that you understand your benefits and that you verify insurance coverage prior to beginning therapy.
Does Children's Memorial Hospital accept my insurance? Will my insurance pay for an evaluation and therapy?
- Children's Memorial Hospital accepts a variety of insurance carriers. First, contact your insurance provider to determine if evaluation and therapy will be covered. It is important that you understand your benefits and that you verify insurance coverage and any restrictions.
- If you have additional questions or problems regarding insurance, you may also contact our patient registration account liaison at 773.327.2898.