Frequently Asked Questions

We have compiled the following information to help answer some common questions about Kidspeak and the services we provide. If you have questions that are not addressed here, please reach out by visiting our contact page.
What makes Kidspeak different from other clinics?

Kidspeak comes to you! We provide speech, feeding and occupational therapy evaluations and therapy in the home, daycares, private schools, and online.

What communities does Kidspeak cover?
Kidspeak provides services in the 10 county metro area of the Twin Cities. Some cities we service, but not limited to include: Elk River, Albertville, St. Michael, Rogers, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Hanover, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Chanhassen, Chaska, Champlin, Carver, Edina, St. Louis Park, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Anoka, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, Blaine, New Brighton, Arden Hills, Roseville, Hugo, Forest Lake, White Bear Lake, Stillwater, Mahtomedi, Woodbury, Eagan, Apple Valley, Burnsville, Farmington, Shakopee etc.
How do I know if my child is in need of speech therapy?
If you have questions, or if your child is demonstrating difficulty with any of the following, please call Kidspeak and an experienced therapist can discuss your concerns and help you decide whether an evaluation would be appropriate.
Birth to 2 months:
• Does not cry when hungry or uncomfortable
• Does not make comfort sounds or sucking sounds
• Cry does not vary in pitch, length and volume to indicate different needs
• Difficulty establishing/maintaining a rhythmical suck/swallow pattern
• Significant loss of breast milk/formula out of side of mouth during feeding

3 to 5 months:
• Vocalizes separately from body movements (sound is not a response to body movement)
• Inability to establish or maintain face-to-face communication during feeding
• Does not vocalize in response to sound stimulation
• Has not begun to laugh by 5 months in response to play
• Difficulty with feedings such as above

5 to 7 months:
• Does not babble during play or in response to stimulation (may suggest a hearing problem)
• Does not use voice to vocalize attitudes other than crying
• Does not respond to sound stimulation (indicative of hearing problems)
• Difficulty with swallowing early solids or other feeding issues

7 to 9 months:
• Does not look towards sounds or own name
• Is not babbling double consonants (bababa….)
• Difficulty with textures in foods (gagging, choking, etc.)
• Is unable to participate in conversations with adults using babbling noises
• Does not say “mama” or “dada” non-specifically
• Does not use different inflections to produce exclamations

9 to 12 months:
• Is unable to successfully eat early finger foods or munch/bite on foods
• Cannot babble single consonants such as “ba” or “da”
• Does not respond to words/language appropriately
• Does not experiment with language when playing independently
• Does not participate in conversations by responding with vocalizations

12 to 15 months:
• Does not use inflection during vocalization
• Is not experimenting with language during play
• Is not using 1 to 3 words spontaneously while repeating additional words
• Does not vocalize or gesture to communicate needs
• Is not using “no” emphatically and meaningfully
• Is not using exclamatory expression such as “oh-oh”, “No-no”, Ta-da”, etc.

15 to 18 months:
• Is not attempting to sing songs
• Cannot use 10-15 words spontaneously
• Is not using vocalization in conjunction with gestures
• Does not use language to communicate needs
• Is not repeating sounds or words or imitating environmental sounds
• Is not jabbering tunefully during play
• Continues to demonstrate eating problems (swallowing issues, choking, etc.)

18 to 24 months:
• Is not using jargon with good inflection
• Cannot label 2-4 pictures while looking at a book
• Is not putting 2-4 words together to form short sentences or communicate needs
• Does not understand nouns, verbs and modifiers an their uses
• Is not using intelligible words to communicate needs
• Cannot imitate 2-4 word phrases
• Does not relay experiences using jargon, words and/or gestures
• Does not have at least 50 – 100 words

24 to 33 months:
• Cannot sing phrases of songs
• Is not using three word sentences
• Is not using a wide range of consonant and vowel sounds
• Does not use past tense words “He runned”
• Is not expressing frustration at not being understood
• Does not use up to or more than 50 expressive words
• Is not imitating phrases or experimenting with new words
• Words are not clearly articulated

33 to 36 months:
• Is not responding to questions when asked things
• Is not producing correct beginning sounds of words
• Is having a hard time understanding prepositions’
• Is not speaking in complete sentences
• Does not use plurals to refer to more than one (even if not correct)
• Is not participating in storytelling
• Does not have expressive vocabulary of 200 – 1000 words
• Is not using expressive vocabulary to communicate all needs
• Is not using sentences to communicate

How do I know if my child is in need of occupational therapy?
If you have questions, or if your child is demonstrating difficulty with any of the following, please call Kidspeak and an experienced therapist can discuss your concerns and help you decide whether an evaluation would be appropriate.

Birth to 2 months:
• Does not grasp objects placed near palm

3 months:
• Does not follow an object with her eyes
• Hands remain closed almost all of the time
• Frequently resists being held
• Becomes upset when moved, as when being picked up, laid down, or handed from one familiar person to another

4 months:
• Does not swipe at or reach for objects
• Does not bring hands or objects to his mouth
• Frequently irritable for no apparent reason
• Does not place both hands on her bottle while being fed

5 months:
• Does not hold how own bottle
• Doesn’t smile at his image in a mirror

6 months:
• Involuntarily drops objects after only y a few minutes
• Does not actively grasp large finger foods such as teething cookies when they are placed on the highchair tray
• Is excessively and consistently upset by leaving the home

7 months:
• Does not transfer an object from one hand to the other

10 months:
• Not beginning to pick up small objects
• Does not poke with index finger
• Is not accepting a variety of food textures
• Is excessively upset by being dressed, diapered, bathed, or having hair groomed

12 months:
• Isn’t able to pick up a cheerio or other small object with tip of the thumb and the tip of the index finger
• Is not sleeping through the night most of the time
• Is not interested in exploring toys made for one year olds
• Is excessively upset by sound of siren, barking dog, vacuum cleaner, or other familiar loud noises

15 months:
• Cannot put a one inch object into a container with a slightly bigger opening
• Cannot stack two cubes
• Cannot put a round form into a round shape on a puzzle

18 months:
• Cannot point to a few of the following body parts: eyes, nose, mouth, hair, tummy, legs, feet, and hands
• Cannot turn pages of a cardboard book, or regular small book two or three pages at a time
• Cannot stack four books

24 months:
• Play with toys only y by tapping, shaking or throwing
• Cannot unscrew top of a one inch or two inch bottle
• Cannot remove socks, untied shoes, or pull on pants without help

30 months:
• Cannot imitate drawing a vertical line or a circular scribble on paper immediately after seeing an adult draw these lines
• Cannot stack eight to ten cubes
• Cannot imitate drawing a horizontal line immediately after seeing an adult draw a horizontal line

36 months:
• Cannot remove all pull on clothing after fasteners have been undone
• Does not imitate the actions of adults in the home
• Does not pretend during play

What insurance do you accept?

Kidspeak is in-network for most major insurance plans (BCBS, Medica, United Health Care, Aetna, Cigna, Tri-Care, HealthEZ, HealthPartners, etc.). Insurance companies are complicated and all plans are different. Many insurance plans cover speech and occupational therapy services. It is important that you check your own insurance policy to determine your benefits. We will make every effort to accommodate your child and assist you when having trouble understanding what benefits are available to you in your health plan. Some plans require prior authorization before treatment can begin. Please note, that according to all insurance companies, authorization is not always a guarantee of payment so unpaid balance will be your responsibility.

Do you accept Medical Assistance?

Unfortunately, Kidspeak cannot accept M.A. or Tefra at this time. If your medical assistance is administered through a major insurance carrier such as Medica, we do accept those plans.

What is your policy regarding fees for your services?

Kidspeak will bill your insurance company for services performed. Co-payments, deductible and co-insurance amounts are due at the time of service. We will invoice you if your insurance carrier denies payment. Private pay plans are also available. Kidspeak accepts cash, checks, Visa, Mastercard and HSA/FSA.

Do we need a doctor’s referral?

Per the state of MN, a physical referral/order is required before an evaluation or treatment can be performed. Our office can assist you in obtaining the order if you were not already given one by your doctor.

How often will my child have appointments and for how long?

Most visits are generally one time per week for one hour. However, depending on the evaluation, your therapist may indicate a need for more frequent visits. The total number of visits will also be based on the evaluation results and unique goals set by your therapist. Some insurance plans have a visit limit per calendar year, so please check your policy.

What is your cancellation policy?

Please call our office or your therapist directly to cancel any appointments 24 hours in advance so we may offer these appointments to other patients in need of treatment. If you “no-show” your appointment, there is a $30 charge. This fee cannot be billed to your insurance.

What is my job as a parent or caregiver so my child gets the most out of therapy?

Parents and caregivers are critical in the therapy process! As part of your child’s therapy team, you will receive a home program. We are only with your child 1-2 hours per week. Carrying over suggestions in the home is crucial for progress. The length of treatment can also be decreased by follow through at home.

What does the evaluation process look like?

Please see our “Getting Started” page on our website.

Is there a waiting list?

Yes, we currently have a waitlist.

I wanted to send you a note to tell you how absolutely AMAZING our experience was. I could not say enough about Marlene, our therapist. She was so good, totally engaging and made the experience extremely positive for Kate. Kate has left this experience feeling great about herself and empowered with her ability to successfully tackle her speech issues!!!
Nicole W.

St. Louis Park

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