How to Find a Speech Therapist

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Speech therapists are professionals who work with language and other vocal disorders. It is a professional occupation that serves all age groups based on need.

Steps

1. Call your local school district (even if your child is too young to go to school). Most states have programs that will evaluate and provide therapy free of charge to children birth to graduation age. Many will come to your home if your child is very young.
   
2. Get a referral from your family doctor.
   
3. Call a local university or college. Most universities will have an education or speech therapy department.
   
4. Go to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) web site at:[[1]]. Select the Public tab on the bar. Select Find a Professional. Follow the prompts to help find a speech therapist.
   
5. Try to find someone in your local area with expertise. Try using the Yellow Pages.
   
6. If you want someone for a child, make sure they have experience with children.
   
7. Seek someone with experience with children close to the age of yours.
   
8. If you already have a diagnosis, find someone who is experienced in that particular disorder.
   

Tips

• Ask your pediatrician for a referral to a speech therapist through the schools or a hospital with therapy services.
  
• If you feel something is wrong and your pediatrician says "just wait", you may want to go ahead and contact a speech therapist on your own. Early intervention is the most effective.
  

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Sources and Citations

• [[2]]ASHA
  

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