Frequently Asked Questions

No, speech therapists can provide assessments and treatment without a doctor’s referral.However, some health insurers require a referral from your child’s primary physician before they will provide coverage.

You have two ways; Meet & Greet or Initial Evaluation. The Meet & Greet is a free 20 minute video chat where we can get to know each other. You can voice your concerns, and determine if Teletherapy is right for your family. 

But If you already know you’d like an assessment, and want to get on the schedule faster, book an Initial Evaluation. Use the online scheduling system for both.  Please reach me at heather@bravospeechtherapy.com with any questions.

I often experience a high demand for after-school appointments and may have a waiting list for 3:00pm or 4:00pm appointments.

You can use the online scheduling system to request a Meet & Greet or Initial Evaluation.

I am currently licensed to provide services to families residing in Washington State, Oregon, and California.

I offer speech and language services to children between the ages of 18 months to 18 years

I help children with..

• Down Syndrome
• Autism Spectrum
• Down Syndrome
• Genetic Disorders

• Social Skills
• Communication Skills

• Speech Delays
• Articulation Disorders
• Motor Speech/Apraxia
• Language Comprehension
  
• Stuttering and more...

If your child has been evaluated by another certified speech-language pathologist within the last year, I can review it. This will determine if there is adequate information to be able to establish a plan and begin treatment, without conducting another evaluation.

The Initial Evaluation allows 90 minutes to assess multiple areas for an accurate understanding of your child's skills. Test scores may not be obtained within that timeframe, but I can still create a treatment plan using other sources like parent reports, clinical observation, and oral motor exams.

Assessment of your child’s progress is an ongoing process and I continue it throughout your child’s plan of care.

I'll help you incorporate home practice into your daily routine! With my suggestions, your child's skills will transfer more easily in your home, community, and other settings. 

For example, you can write 5 speech words on a sticky note and say them before or after brushing teeth each night. Encourage your child to do this 7 days a week and you’ve helped them practice 40 times that week!

Yes, I provide a comprehensive written report of your child’s Initial Assessment which includes background information/parent concerns, test scores, clinical observations, long and short-term goals, a general plan of care, and therapy recommendations. Then, a 6 month Progress Report with updates on goals will be written, and after 12 months, a Re-Evaluation will be completed.

No, I do not provide swallowing or feeding therapy at this time. I’m happy to pass along a referral in your area, if needed.

The number of sessions per week will vary depending on your child’s needs. Typical frequency of treatment is 1x/week at 45 minutes in length.After a thorough assessment, I will develop your child’s treatment plan and determine frequency.

A Speech-Language Pathologist (also known as SLP or Speech Therapist), is an expert in communication who holds a masters degree in an accredited program. SLPs prevent, assess, and treat adults and children who experience problems with; speech sounds, language skills, social communication, voice, fluency, feeding and swallowing.

My clients are often surprised at just how well online speech therapy works for them. Studies show that it achieves the same or better results as in-person treatment.

Being present inside your child's home environment offers me valuable insight, and more directly connects parent involvement!

• High speed internet connection 

• Computer or laptop preferred (Ipad or mobile device can be an alternative option)
• You don’t need any extra special equipment

No, Bravo Online Speech Therapy is a Teletherapy only practice.

Not much different at all actually! This is my specialty, and the pure mission of Bravo! Speech Therapy. 

I use many of the same materials (toys, games, books, etc) that I would use in an In-Person session. I provide individualized evaluation and treatment with the same quality of care. You, as the parent, will have a stronger presence during Teletherapy sessions, assisting your child for improved motivation and participation.

Your involvement allows for an ease in carryover of your child’s skills into the home setting. As your therapist, being able to have a window into your child’s natural environment gives me a unique and valuable perspective. This allows me to provide a more individualized plan of care for your family.

Teletherapy allows for more flexibility in scheduling, ease in carryover of home practice, and prompt communication with Heather during the session. All of this can add up to more effective therapy for your child.

People also enjoy being in the comfort of their own home, and decreased travel time.

As a professional SLP of 14 years, I take privacy seriously. 

Bravo Online Speech Therapy LLC protects personal health information by adhering to strict confidentiality policies and taking necessary precautions to safeguard the information from unauthorized access or disclosure.

Bravo maintains a secure, fully HIPAA compliant data storage system via SimplePractice platform.

No, I don’t accept insurance currently. Bravo accepts private pay clients only. Upon request, I can provide you a 'Superbill' that is formatted for insurance companies to provide coverage retroactively.

• 20 minute Meet & Greet = no cost
• 90 minute Initial Evaluation + written report = $150
• 45 minute Treatment Session + home programming = $90

Private payment for speech services is made via credit card through Bravo’s payment processor (Stripe). After you’ve scheduled your Initial Evaluation, you will complete required paperwork in your client portal. You will fill out your credit card information and sign a form to authorize payments via credit card.

Payment will be processed at the completion of each therapy session.

Soon after your credit card is charged, you will receive an updated invoice detailing service and payment information. The invoice will be available to you in your client portal.

A Superbill is a document provided to you containing information you need, to work directly with your insurance plan.

It is different from a typical invoice or receipt because it provides additional information, including; Client’s contact information, speech therapist name and credentials, CPT code for the service, ICD-10 code for diagnosis, fee for the service paid by the client, and more.

A Superbill can be provided at any time after your child’s completed service. You can then fill it out and submit it to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.

Early intervention with a therapist is best, to learn how your child can improve their speech skills.

You can also practice with your child at home by responding positively to all of their communication attempts; repeating what they do/say or giving verbal praise 'I like how you tried to tell me!'.

Babies aged 7 months to 1 year are babbling long strings of sounds, like bababa, mamama, dadada. They begin saying a few meaningful words around age 1 to express themselves, like dada, mama, dog, hi, up. The ‘words’ they try to say may not be clear to the listener, as many sounds are still developing. 

By 18 months, a child is speaking anywhere between 20 to 200 words. This can vary greatly from child to child, as some children spend more of their developmental energy on motor or other communication skills.

Consult an SLP if your child does not speak at least 50-75 words by 2 years old.

It’s common to compare your older child to your younger child, however, every child develops at a different speed! Boys tend to develop a little slower than girls, but this difference is very insignificant. 

If you have concerns for your younger child, having an evaluation done is a great way to discover if they’re in need of speech therapy. Learning more can be helpful in decreasing worry you may feel. 

A frontal lisp is when the tongue pokes out between the front teeth (sometimes sounding like a ‘th’ sound). This type of lisp is considered normal in children until about age 4 ½  years. It may be appropriate to treat this type of lisp earlier than 4 ½ depending on the child’s abilities, speech understandability, etc. A speech evaluation can be a great way to determine if therapy is recommended.

A lateral lisp is when the air travels across the sides of the tongue and escapes into the cheeks, making a ‘slushy’ sound. This type of lisp is not considered part of normal development and should be treated as soon as possible. I recommended scheduling an appointment right away to determine if treatment is needed. 

Some types of disfluencies (stuttering) are considered typical at certain ages and there’s no need to worry. Stuttering typically begins around 2-6 years of age, lasting less than 6 months. It usually presents as repeated phrases or words with little to no awareness, and during a natural peak in speech-language development. 

Oftentimes disfluencies increase when a child is tired, excited, or feeling rushed. However, an evaluation is recommended if your child’s stuttering increases, they exhibit frustration or avoidance in speaking situations, they tense up their face or body when speaking, or there is a family history of stuttering.

Your child’s hearing is an important part of speech-language development and should be tested if you have concerns. 

Seek an appointment with a certified Audiologist if your child exhibits the following warning signs; not responding to loud background noise, not responding to their name being called, reduced verbal speech skills or development, preferring the TV to be very loud.

Using sign language, or gestures, with any child will not inhibit their verbal speech. In fact, it could even enhance your child’s ability to communicate. 

Current research shows that providing your child with a different/alternative way to express themselves (sign language, gestures), can decrease communication frustration (reduced meltdowns) and may actually improve motivation for verbal communication.

Chat with me if you’d like to discuss further!

Each child’s plan of care is unique to them. Some children require an Initial Evaluation only, followed by home recommendations to the family. But for many, treatment sessions are recommended.

The duration of therapy depends on many factors; severity of the child’s difficulties, diagnosis, health history, and progress in therapy.

Yes! Bravo Online Speech Therapy is a private pay service and separate from school services.

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Getting private therapy in tandem with existing services through your school district can be very beneficial!School therapy focuses more on communication skills as they relate to the educational setting, whereas private therapy can focus on more functional communication needs in home and community settings.

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I work collaboratively with your school speech therapist to make sure therapy goals are in alignment with your child's plan of care.