How to Find a Speech Therapist for an Autistic Child
One of the hallmarks of an autism spectrum disorder in children is the presence of a significant language delay prior to the age of three. While a child with autism may be verbal, the context of her speech may not be age-appropriate, and might consist of scripted phrases or echolalia. As a result, speech therapy will help a child gain communicative language. Read on to learn how to find a speech therapist for an autistic child.
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Things You'll Need
- Pen and paper
- Computer with internet connection
- Telephone
- Email account
Instructions
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Connect to the internet and point your web browser to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). ASHA is the national organization that certifies speech-language pathologists (also called speech therapists).
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Click on “The Public” and then click on “Find a Professional.”
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Input your city and state or zip code, country, age of your child and desired language, and then click on “Submit.”
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Write down the contact information for speech therapists in your area.
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Next, enter the URL for the Autism Society of America “Find a Chapter” section in your web browser. The speech therapist listings on the ASHA web site do not include all of the therapists available in your area. The Autism Society of America has chapters spread across the country, and many of those individual chapters provide speech therapy listings as well.
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Select your state, then click on the name of your local chapter. Write down the contact information.
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Click on the link to your local chapter’s web site; if they have a website, it will be linked here. Upon reaching the website of your local Autism Society of America chapter, browse around for parent resources. Some chapters maintain a list of speech therapists in the area. If you find a list, write down the names of the speech therapists who were not listed on the ASHA web site.
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Call or send an email to your local Autism Society of America chapter, requesting information on local speech therapists who have experience working with children on the autism spectrum.
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Call the speech therapists on your list to determine which one has openings. Speech therapy is in high demand, and some areas of the country have a six- to 12-month wait for openings. It is important to take the time to call every single therapist within your comfortable driving distance if you are finding this long wait to be a recurrent problem. Children "age" out of speech therapy all the time, so you might be able to get in to a recent opening.
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Tips & Warnings
If your insurance covers speech therapy, contact the doctor-referral service through your insurance company to help locate a speech therapist in your area.
