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Accepting clients!
Where do services take place?
Where do services take place?
Services can take place in my office, in your home, or via telehealth.
Chatterbox Speech Therapy rents office space at Grimsrud Elementary, located at 716 W Saint Benedict Dr, Bismarck, ND 58501.
Please note that Bismarck Public Schools (BPS) is not affiliated with Chatterbox Speech Therapy in any way.
What is the process to started?
What is the process to started?
To get started with speech therapy, the process generally follows these steps:
1: Complete the Client Interest Form linked at the top of this page.
2. We will contact you to gather information and any answer questions.
3. Complete and return the initial intake packet, which includes medical history, family concerns, insurance details, and clinic policies.
4. While we verify your insurance benefits, we also ask that you contact your insurance provider to confirm coverage details for speech therapy services.
5. Ask your physician for a referral for speech therapy.
6. The therapist will contact you to schedule the evaluation once the referral is received.
7. After the evaluation, we will review the results with you and develop a treatment plan.
How long are therapy sessions?
How long are therapy sessions?
Therapy sessions typically run for 30 minutes. If the client can tolerate a longer session, 45-minute therapy sessions may be recommended. After each session, 5-10 minutes will be spent communicating with the caregiver about the skills addressed during the session and home programming that can help reinforce goals at home.
How long are the evaluations?
How long are the evaluations?
Evaluations typically take 50 minutes to an hour. Articulation evaluations with no other language concerns, generally take less time (30-45 minutes).
Should I wait until my child is older?
Should I wait until my child is older?
No. If you have concerns, you should not wait. Research has has repeatedly found that early intervention is extremely effective. Our youngest clients are just two or three years old. Often parents may get advice to “wait and see,” which is not the best approach to take. If you choose to wait, your child may miss a crucial therapy window (preschool age). Meanwhile, the gap between what your child is doing and what their peers are doing may continue to widen. If you’re concerned about your child, it’s important to get help as soon as possible.
Should I wait to see if my child can qualify to receive speech at school?
Should I wait to see if my child can qualify to receive speech at school?
No. If you have concerns, you should not wait. In school, speech language therapy is provided only if the delay is impacting access to education. For Kindergarteners just starting their education, it can be difficult to prove educational impact since they are just starting school. The school speech-language pathologist typically has to wait and see if the speech-language delay proves to be educationally impacting, which delays the start of speech therapy.
Refer to other FAQ posts- "Should I wait until my child is older?" and "What is the difference between school and private speech therapy?"
How long will my child need speech language therapy?
How long will my child need speech language therapy?
Every individual progresses through speech-language therapy at their own pace, and their responses can vary significantly. Some individuals with significant communication needs may benefit from speech-language therapy into adulthood, while others may need less than a year to address articulation errors.
Caregivers can enhance the effectiveness of therapy and potentially expedite progress by collaborating closely with their speech-language pathologist and following through with recommended home programming.
What is the difference between school and private speech therapy?
What is the difference between school and private speech therapy?
School speech therapy and private speech therapy are distinctly different services. While they can complement each other, their primary purposes differ:
School speech therapy and private speech therapy are distinctly different services. While they can complement each other, their primary purposes differ:
School Speech Therapy: Focuses on educational support and helping students access the school environment.
School Speech Therapy: Focuses on educational support and helping students access the school environment.
Private Speech Therapy: This service is considered a medical need, addressing speech and language issues more comprehensively.
Private Speech Therapy: This service is considered a medical need, addressing speech and language issues more comprehensively.
The following chart helps to clarify these differences further:
The following chart helps to clarify these differences further:
By what age should my child have (insert specific speech sound)?
By what age should my child have (insert specific speech sound)?
This chart provides a nice reference as to what age a majority of children acquire each speech sound.
This chart provides a nice reference as to what age a majority of children acquire each speech sound.
What are the early signs of a language disorder?
What are the early signs of a language disorder?
Signs of a Language Disorder
A language disorder may be spoken and/or written (reading and writing). It may also be receptive (understanding) and/or expressive (talking, reading, writing, or signing).
Doesn't smile or interact with others (birth–3 months)
Doesn't babble (4–7 months)
Makes few sounds (7–12 months)
Does not use gestures (e.g., waving, pointing) (7–12 months)
Doesn't understand what others say (7 months–2 years)
Says only a few words (12–18 months)
Doesn't put words together to make sentences (1½–2 years)
Says fewer than 50 words (2 years)
Has trouble playing and talking with other children (2–3 years)
Has problems with early reading and writing skills—for example, may not show an interest in books or drawing (2½–3 years)
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