| Parents who enroll children in private schools may | | | | for therapy can be significant. For example, a |
| experience difficulty finding speech therapy | | | | typical course of speech therapy may require |
| services if their child has a problem articulating | | | | two sessions per week over a period of 8-12 |
| certain speech sounds. These children often fail to | | | | weeks. In that case, co-pays would be as high as |
| qualify for speech and language therapy programs | | | | $480 in addition to transportation costs and the |
| typically found in the public schools. And many | | | | inconvenience of adding that many appointments |
| private speech clinics are expensive and/or | | | | to your already busy life. |
| inconvenient. So what can private school parents | | | | What about the "developmental norms" and the |
| do to assist their child in overcoming speech | | | | "self-correcting speech sounds" mentioned above? |
| difficulties? | | | | Could some children just "grow out of" their |
| While most private schools endeavor to develop | | | | speech problem? While it is true that some |
| superior educational and enrichment programs, | | | | children end up moving through the speech |
| they typically do not provide speech and language | | | | development stages and saying all their speech |
| therapy. Generally, these schools simply do not | | | | sounds correctly by age 7 or 8, this is not always |
| have the financial resources to offer speech | | | | the case. In my experience, both in clinic settings |
| services. Consequently, many parents are on their | | | | and in the public school system, children who have |
| own in finding speech and language help for their | | | | not self-corrected their speech sounds by |
| child. Unfortunately, even though there are several | | | | Kindergarten often do not improve without some |
| options for helping children with speech delays, | | | | amount of speech therapy intervention. |
| private school students cannot always find a good | | | | Kindergarten is a time when children are learning |
| fit. | | | | letter sounds and beginning to learn to read. They |
| Parents may first explore the services available | | | | are also increasingly interacting with other children |
| through the public schools. In the typical case, the | | | | and adults. Incorrect speech sounds at this age |
| child will be evaluated by a speech-language | | | | can cause difficulties in learning to read as well as |
| pathologist to determine whether or not the child's | | | | create awkward social exchanges when the child |
| speech and/or language delays meet the criteria | | | | cannot be understood. The child may even begin |
| necessary to qualify for the school's program. | | | | to lose speaking confidence and/or become |
| Speech and language services are provided | | | | frustrated when others cannot understand him. |
| without charge for those children who do qualify. | | | | While many of these children do end up |
| However, there are two caveats here: 1) very | | | | developing reading and academic skills just fine, |
| few children who could benefit from speech | | | | they may still have a speech difference/delay. I |
| therapy services will be able to qualify and 2) if | | | | have heard students walking the halls of my |
| they do qualify, they might receive therapy only | | | | children's private school talking with evident |
| 1-2 times per month. Why is there such limited | | | | speech errors. For instance, they cannot say the |
| availability? | | | | s/ sound, or the /r/ sound, or the /th/ sound, or |
| Because all school districts operate with limited | | | | their /sh/ or /ch/ or /j/ sounds are distorted. |
| funds, many programs have too little money | | | | These students are in first through fifth grade, |
| allocated to them to provide ideal levels of | | | | and could not be understood at the last |
| service. Special education, which includes speech | | | | school-wide presentation because they had |
| therapy, is one of those programs. Whether or | | | | speech sound errors. |
| not to provide speech-language services to a | | | | I have heard parents complain that they were |
| particular child is up to the individual school district. | | | | unable to understand many of the kids when they |
| This can put private school children at a definite | | | | got up to speak because of their speech sound |
| disadvantage. In California, for example, schools | | | | errors. I have heard middle-school children who still |
| only receive state funding for children who | | | | cannot say their /s/ or their /r/ sounds. They |
| actually attend a public school. Therefore, districts | | | | sound "different" at best; "strange" at worst. |
| may be reluctant to provide already limited | | | | Everyone notices these speech sounding errors. |
| services to children for whom they receive no | | | | Most importantly, the child him/herself notices. |
| state funding. | | | | The reality is, the longer parents wait to correct |
| Additionally, speech and language services through | | | | their child's speech problem, the harder it is to |
| the public schools, as well as other aspects of | | | | overcome. Any speech pathologist will tell you |
| special education, are intended for the | | | | that. What some speech pathologists will not tell |
| lowest-performing segment of the population. In | | | | you is that many of these speech sounds can be |
| other words, a child would have to be very | | | | easily corrected by showing parents a few simple |
| impaired in speech and/or language to qualify for | | | | techniques to teach the sound, then giving them |
| these free services. Many parents who seek out | | | | guidelines on how to reinforce the sound and how |
| a speech and/or language evaluation in the public | | | | to help their child carry the correct sound over |
| schools are told that their child's "problem" is not | | | | into conversation. Parents also should know that |
| severe enough or that the child is developing | | | | they can work with their child earlier than some |
| "normally." Special education programs in the public | | | | guidelines suggest. Many of the speech sounds |
| schools were not intended for the "mild" or | | | | can be taught to children as young as age 3. |
| "moderate" speech-impaired child. | | | | Children learn quickly when they are young, and |
| Another option for private school parents is to | | | | they are usually very receptive to new ideas, |
| have their child evaluated at a private speech | | | | especially when they are given effective praise |
| therapy clinic. This approach can be appropriate | | | | for their efforts. Some children improve |
| for many children. However, therapists at private | | | | dramatically with just one month of parent-driven |
| clinics might also tell the parents that their child's | | | | home speech therapy. |
| impairment is not severe enough and that he/she | | | | Many private school parents notice that their child |
| is developing according to the speech | | | | has a speech delay. Seeking an answer, they may |
| "developmental norms," or that a particular sound | | | | have researched their options and found that |
| error can self-correct "as late as 7 or 8 years of | | | | none seem to give them exactly what they need |
| age." | | | | to help their child. Or, they might delay starting |
| On the other hand, if the private clinic DOES | | | | speech therapy because of cost or inconvenience. |
| recommend speech therapy for the child, it can | | | | However, these parents need to realize that time |
| become quite expensive. If your health insurance | | | | is of the essence in speech sound development. If |
| plan covers speech therapy sessions, and often | | | | your child is at least 3-4 years old, the time might |
| they do not, there will usually be some co-pay | | | | be now! |
| required. Even at $20 per session, the total cost | | | | |