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Message |
    
Slim Jim
Citizen
Username: Arrakis
Post Number: 8
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 7:55 pm: | 
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Can anyone recommend a local Speech Therapist for my four year old daughter?
Thanks in Advance. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 460
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 10:43 pm: |
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Rachel Fisch-Kaplan is fantastic. She live in S.Orange, but has office hours in Summit and Manhattan. It is worth the trip. My 5 y.o. son is a thumb-sucker and other therapists said they couldn't work with a child that still sucked their thumb b/c it wouldn't work. Rachel said she'd try and he worked through his few speech issues in less than a year!
And, when asked who his favorite teacher was, to our surprise, he said "Rachel"!
She has a very good rep. in SO-Maplewood and has been recommended on MOL before.
(212) 712-2014
(Apparently her assistant is good too, but I'd hold out for a spot with Rachel.)
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CageyD
Citizen
Username: Cageyd
Post Number: 591
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Monday, February 13, 2006 - 11:56 pm: |
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PDG
Does Ms. Fisch take insurance and or what are her fees? |
Grrrrrrrrrrr
Citizen
Username: Oldsctls67
Post Number: 272
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 12:14 am: |
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My son has verbal apraxia and has been going to Barbara Goldfarb in Millburn, and I'm very pleased with the progress he's made! I don't have her number now...I'll post it tomorrow. |
Pdg
Citizen
Username: Pdg
Post Number: 463
Registered: 5-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 2:47 pm: |
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Rachel does take some insurances - not mine, but since she was so highly recommended we did it out of network.
Our initial evaluation was between $400-$500. For that you get a very thorough written report and a one-on-one meeting with the parents. I think the results of this eval. are required for insurance cos too.
I am not comfortable quoting her weekly fees since we finished several months ago. |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 78
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 4:17 pm: |
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Slim -
If your daughter is 4, I strongly recommend that you contact the school district and request an evaluation. I did this the summer before my son entered Kindegarten and was absolutely thrilled with the response. You can PL me if you'd like more info, but it is something you really should look into.
Alison |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1181
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 4:29 pm: |
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The only issue with school-basd speech therapy is that, in general, it is offerred only when the speech deficit has a direct impact on the child's ability to learn. If the problem is strictly one of articulation -- say, a lisp or inability to pronounce the 'R' sound -- most schools won't help. |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 79
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 4:35 pm: |
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Shoshannah -
Although I had that expectation, and had been counseled that it would be a waste of time to involve the district, my experience was the opposite. My son has only articulation, no language issues.
It is totally worth the effort, if only for the establishment of a relationship with the speech department in the schools. They are a really lovely group of concerned professionals. If Slim's daughter is not "picked up" for theratpy now, she will at least be known to the school in Kindegarten so that when/if it is appropriate the evaluations etc can be done without delay. |
Amateur Night
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1748
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 - 10:54 pm: |
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Shoshannah -- My daughter also had articulation problems only, and has gotten five years of consecutive speech therapy through the school. So it is definitely worth looking into. |
Slim Jim
Citizen
Username: Arrakis
Post Number: 9
Registered: 6-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 6:01 am: |
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Thanks for all the responses. I would like to avoid going thru the school system and get her issue properly diagnosed before the 1st grade.
Just out of curiosity, how are the therapy sessions conducted in the school? Are the students taken out of class or do they stay after school for the sessions?
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hismom
Citizen
Username: Hismom
Post Number: 378
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 7:44 am: |
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You can get your daughter tested NOW there is a preschool program for 3-5 year olds in the SOMa school district. The Child Study team is wonderful at working with young kids. My daughter had been recieving therapy through Essex County since she was 2. Just before she turned 3 we were referred to the school and had her evaluated by the school's SLP. The entire process was very organized and easy for both parent and child.
While she didn't qualify, I have several friends with their children in the preschool program and I know one of the teachers fairly well. It is a great program.
(FWIW our pediatrician had referred us to Creative Speech Solutions/Cynthia Marrapodi in Summit where we did have an evaluation done. I felt they were more geared toward older children who could sit still. Their fee 2 years ago was $85/half hour). |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1182
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 9:40 am: |
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Interesting about M-SO happily taking kids with articulation problems. In Millburn, the speech team will, *in general*, only see children with speech-language problems that have a direct impact on their education. I thought that would be the prevailing practice since it costs $$$$ to give kids speech therapy. |
AlisonS
Citizen
Username: Alisons
Post Number: 80
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 9:43 am: |
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Because I had my son evaluated with the district prior to Kindergarten beginning, his 2X weekly therapy sessions started within a few weeks of school beginning in September. While he was in Kindergarten I was given the option of having him pulled out of class or bringing him in during the morning for extra time (he was in PM Kindergarten). I chose to bring him in for the extra time, but you could do it either way. Now that he is in first grade I know that he is pulled out of class. I’m fairly certain that this is done during the part of the day when the class is engaged in SSR (Silent Sustained Reading). I know by law that he cannot be pulled out of any “specials” (Music, PE, Art etc.).
With my son (as with most kids in the early grades, I’m told) being pulled out is considered to be very exciting. They feel important to have the speech teacher come to their class, and he really loves spending time with her. Usually there are 1-3 other kids in his group for his sessions. They are clustered together by their particular articulation needs so all work on specific sounds together.
Not to beat a dead horse, Slim, but I'd check out what the town has to offer before you dismiss it. Most of the people that I know who's children receive services from the town (particularly if their child meets the standards of early intervention) are very very glad that they did. |
finnegan
Supporter
Username: Finnegan
Post Number: 287
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 11:53 am: |
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Shoshannah,
Articulation problems can easily have an impact on education - what if the kid can't ask questions clearly? or offer answers in class? or speak clearly enough to work with other students?
The NJ Special Education Code (6A:14-3.6 "Determination of Eligibility for Speech-Language Services") provides detailed information for determining if the severity of articulation problems warrant speech services. It's on the NJ DOE website. http://www.nj.gov/njded/code/current/title6a/chap14.pdf
It would be unwise for a school district to broadly claim articulation problems are not their concern, since the law clearly indicates that in some circumstances, they are. |
Moose11217
Citizen
Username: Moose11217
Post Number: 64
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 12:10 pm: |
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My pediatrician also recommended an evaluation for my son. Who in the district does one contact? Did anyone get a second opinion from a private practitioner? Thanks - This thread has been very helpful |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1183
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 12:13 pm: |
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Finn: Sorry if my post wasn't clear. They accept any kid whose speech problem affects his/her education -- whether it's an articulation problem or another problem. But they don't automatically accept any kid with a lisp. It has to be determined that the lisp (or other articulation issue) is adversely affecting the child's learning. |
Grrrrrrrrrrr
Citizen
Username: Oldsctls67
Post Number: 275
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 12:27 pm: |
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We had our son evaluated at the McCarton Center in Manhattan...I would not have my child evaluated by the school district. |
hismom
Citizen
Username: Hismom
Post Number: 379
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 12:39 pm: |
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For an evaluation through the SOMa district, contact Maria EppoliteÊ(Supervisor of Special Services)ÊÊÊÊÊÊ973-762-5600 x1841ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ meppolit@somsd.k12.nj.us
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Russell
Citizen
Username: Zoulicat
Post Number: 30
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 2:30 pm: |
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Hello all,
This is Russell Kaplan, Rachel Fisch-Kaplan's husband and the administrator of her practice. A couple of insights.
First- Rachel's number at the Summit office is (973) 420-6774 or (908) 273-5537. Please call for more information regarding her fees.
Secondly-Rachel is in network for Aetna. Unfortunately that is the only insurance that she accepts. However it should be said that if the issues your children are facing are developmental in nature, it is worth checking with your insurance company to see if they will cover the costs of the ongoing therapy regardless. Many, though not all, insurance plans tend to deny claims for speech therapy for developmental delays (articulation and language)for the most part because these issues are often thought of as more educationally based rather than medically based. Though this is questionable within the profession.
Third- Getting one's child evaluated by your school district or for children under 3 through Early Intervention services, is a very cost effective, logistically sound and completely legitimate route to explore. If your child qualifies for services and you still would like to work privately, often a private therapist of your chosing can collaborate with the school/EI therapist and if the parent so chooses, can actually lead the case, enabling your family to receive the best of all situations. Rachel believes very strongly in these Federally funded programs and as parents we have not hesitated to use them for our own children.
In response to the poster regarding The McCarton Center in New York. Dr. Cecelia McCarton is one of the leading diagnostic developmental pediatricians in this country. If you are looking for such a clinician there is no one whom Rachel recommends higher.
I hope that this information has been helpful to all. |
Russell
Citizen
Username: Zoulicat
Post Number: 31
Registered: 6-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 2:38 pm: |
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One last thought.
The overall determining factor of whether a child qualifies for services through the school district and/or Essex County (Early Intervention) is not whether the issue is merely articulation, language or impacting his/her educational abilities. Instead, the issue more often than not is whether the child meets the federally mandated percentages in his/her delays. I am not sure exactly what these percentages are, but they are something along the lines of a 33% in one area (i.e. speech-meaning a 3 year old must be speaking with the articulation expected of a 2 year old); or a child must have a 25% delay in multiple areas (ie. speech, fine motor skills, gross motor skills, etc).
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Grrrrrrrrrrr
Citizen
Username: Oldsctls67
Post Number: 277
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 3:40 pm: |
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My last post was unclear...I meant that I would have my child evaluated by a private clinician first and foremost, but also my the school district. My son did qualify for EIP, and received in-house visits until he was 3 for ot and pt, and then started in the school district's program at the Marshall school, where he gets ot pt and st every week. Russell's posts are very informative and correct as far as I'm concerned...We also use Barbara Goldfarb for private st, and she does coordinate with his teachers at the Marshall School. Barbara's number is: 973-376-5888. SHe's right on Millburn Ave by the Whole Foods. |
Moose11217
Citizen
Username: Moose11217
Post Number: 65
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 15, 2006 - 6:39 pm: |
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Thanks - this is all very helpful. One last question: Since my son turned three last month, is he disqualified from the Scool district program or is that different from early intervention? Thanks |
finnegan
Supporter
Username: Finnegan
Post Number: 289
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 12:05 am: |
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At age 3, the school district picks up where Early Intervention left off. Or if you never had EI, call the department of Special Services (look on the BOE website) and ask for an assessment. |
Moose11217
Citizen
Username: Moose11217
Post Number: 66
Registered: 12-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 16, 2006 - 9:21 am: |
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Super - Thanks |
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