Frequently Asked Questions
What's a "speech-language pathologist?"
Our profession has many names: "speech-language pathologist," "SLP," "speech-language therapist," "speech therapist." No matter the term, we are the healthcare specialists for communication and swallowing. We evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide range of impairments across the lifespan (e.g., speech, receptive language, expressive language, voice, pragmatics, swallowing). Just as you would seek a specific medical provider based on their specialization, you should consult a speech-language therapist accurate information regarding communication and swallowing.
Will children become confused if they learn more than one language? Will it cause communication problems or make a language delay worse?
No! There is no research showing that learning more than one language "confuses" children, much less causes delays or disorders. In fact, research shows the exact opposite. Bilingualism provides children with academic, linguistic, cognitive, and social benefits. Being a lifelong bilingual has even been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. All people, even those with significant delays or disorders, can learn more than one language. It's important to know, though, that if a person has a delay or disorder, it will impact all languages that he/she uses.
My 2-year-old isn't talking much. He has about 30 words and mostly points to things he wants. I've mentioned my concerns to his doctor, but she said to "wait and see". What should I do?
Listen to your gut. If you have any concerns about your child's development, ask a specialist in that area (e.g., speech-language pathologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, early childhood educator, social worker). ChitChat Therapies is happy to answer your speech-language questions. If your child is evaluated by your school district's Child Find team (for free!) and he/she doesn't qualify for speech-language therapy in your home or school, please call us. We can evaluate and treat children with mild delays who often do not qualify for school district services. We also serve children who need private therapy in addition to school-based services.
In regards to your son's vocabulary, a 2-year-old with typical language skills should say about 200-300 words on his own. (Fifty words is commonly quoted for 2-year-olds, but that is actually the minimum). We expect to only understand about 50% of what your son is saying, though! Learn more about typical communication development at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Web site. For very specific information about communication development in children under 3, check out Teach Me to Talk.
What is telepractice? How does it work to do speech-language therapy online?
Like many people, we were skeptical of telepractice at first. However, it has been effective, fun, and easy to use for the vast majority of our clients! Research also shows that online therapy works as well as in-person therapy. Check out our telepractice page to learn more.
My child gets therapy at school. What's the difference between your services vs. what she gets at her public school?
It's impossible to say without knowing more about her school-based services (how many times per week, how many minutes per session, whether she gets one-on-one therapy or in a large group, what goals they are working on). These factors often depend on the school district and their special education resources. School-based services are crucial for students' success.
However, there can be some big differences between the settings. In general, private practices like ChitChat Therapies have much smaller caseloads than schools. This allows us to thoroughly understand your child's strengths and needs. We also collaborate with you to create goals that directly impact your family. Finally, we provide one-on-one services so that your child benefits from our expertise and complete attention.
Whether your child receives therapy at their public school or didn't qualify for services, ChitChat Therapies works with children who have mild to significant delays and disorders. Please call us to learn more.
Our profession has many names: "speech-language pathologist," "SLP," "speech-language therapist," "speech therapist." No matter the term, we are the healthcare specialists for communication and swallowing. We evaluate, diagnose, and treat a wide range of impairments across the lifespan (e.g., speech, receptive language, expressive language, voice, pragmatics, swallowing). Just as you would seek a specific medical provider based on their specialization, you should consult a speech-language therapist accurate information regarding communication and swallowing.
Will children become confused if they learn more than one language? Will it cause communication problems or make a language delay worse?
No! There is no research showing that learning more than one language "confuses" children, much less causes delays or disorders. In fact, research shows the exact opposite. Bilingualism provides children with academic, linguistic, cognitive, and social benefits. Being a lifelong bilingual has even been shown to reduce the risk of dementia. All people, even those with significant delays or disorders, can learn more than one language. It's important to know, though, that if a person has a delay or disorder, it will impact all languages that he/she uses.
My 2-year-old isn't talking much. He has about 30 words and mostly points to things he wants. I've mentioned my concerns to his doctor, but she said to "wait and see". What should I do?
Listen to your gut. If you have any concerns about your child's development, ask a specialist in that area (e.g., speech-language pathologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, early childhood educator, social worker). ChitChat Therapies is happy to answer your speech-language questions. If your child is evaluated by your school district's Child Find team (for free!) and he/she doesn't qualify for speech-language therapy in your home or school, please call us. We can evaluate and treat children with mild delays who often do not qualify for school district services. We also serve children who need private therapy in addition to school-based services.
In regards to your son's vocabulary, a 2-year-old with typical language skills should say about 200-300 words on his own. (Fifty words is commonly quoted for 2-year-olds, but that is actually the minimum). We expect to only understand about 50% of what your son is saying, though! Learn more about typical communication development at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Web site. For very specific information about communication development in children under 3, check out Teach Me to Talk.
What is telepractice? How does it work to do speech-language therapy online?
Like many people, we were skeptical of telepractice at first. However, it has been effective, fun, and easy to use for the vast majority of our clients! Research also shows that online therapy works as well as in-person therapy. Check out our telepractice page to learn more.
My child gets therapy at school. What's the difference between your services vs. what she gets at her public school?
It's impossible to say without knowing more about her school-based services (how many times per week, how many minutes per session, whether she gets one-on-one therapy or in a large group, what goals they are working on). These factors often depend on the school district and their special education resources. School-based services are crucial for students' success.
However, there can be some big differences between the settings. In general, private practices like ChitChat Therapies have much smaller caseloads than schools. This allows us to thoroughly understand your child's strengths and needs. We also collaborate with you to create goals that directly impact your family. Finally, we provide one-on-one services so that your child benefits from our expertise and complete attention.
Whether your child receives therapy at their public school or didn't qualify for services, ChitChat Therapies works with children who have mild to significant delays and disorders. Please call us to learn more.
Additional Resources
Typical Speech and Language Development (ASHA)
Number of Words in a Child’s Vocabulary (Teach Me to Talk)
Child Speech and Language Disorders (ASHA)
“Red Flags” That Warrant a Referral for Early Intervention or Preschool Therapy Services (Teach Me to Talk ) FYI: language is listed last.
Number of Words in a Child’s Vocabulary (Teach Me to Talk)
Child Speech and Language Disorders (ASHA)
“Red Flags” That Warrant a Referral for Early Intervention or Preschool Therapy Services (Teach Me to Talk ) FYI: language is listed last.
RESERVE YOUR AFTER-SCHOOL APPOINTMENT TODAY!
session HoursT-F: 8:30am - 4:45pm
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ADDRESS8020 Lee Dr.
Arvada, CO 80005 |
Telephone720.619.0766
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ChitChat Therapies provides speech, language, and feeding therapies at our Arvada, CO office.
We also offer telepractice, delivering online speech therapy to all of Colorado!