I had to go to Google to see the other reviews, that is what I'm referring to on the here! Yep, I…read morecopied and pasted.
My child received speech therapy for almost a year at this location. We worked with Emily H. and I cannot say enough good things...but I'll try.
As a parent, I could choose to be present in the room during the appointments, sit in the waiting area or outside in my car. There was no pressure to do any of these options, which was appreciated!
During each 30 minute appointment, my child would tell you she played and made a new friend. I would agree! I would add on that Emily was able to balance the play with working and knew how much she could challenge her and when she needed to pull back. Her tone and instructions were kind, encouraging, and respectful. As a parent, I appreciated that because the work is hard and repetitive!
Emily was great at communicating with my husband and I, giving us materials to use at home to continue working with our daughter. On top of that, she identified a tongue and lip tie that was previously unnoticed and/or wasn't considered an issue. She even provided us with recommendations on where to take her to have a consultation to have both the tongue and lip tie released. Long story short, she was persistent (we had two ENT'a tell us it was not an issue) and helped us find Dental Derby to do the procedure.
Let's just say that Emily was 100% correct and after having the procedure done, my daughter finished her treatment plan successfully in no time! To see a six year-old touch the roof of her mouth for the first time, to be able to properly eat and communicate...tears!! I am so grateful for Emily and Therapy Playground!
I read some of the other reviews and I wanted to add a few things, as I think it's helpful to put them in context.
1.) Waiting List: So many speech therapy places have l--o--n--g lists! Why? Many children need help and they can't give a definite "end date" because it's not up to them but the progress of the child. They will give you a standing appointment during your treatment plan, no one else can just grab it. Why? How is your child going to improve if they can't consistently see the speech therapist? It stinks and I get it! Keep calling and following-up to ensure your place on the list. I don't like having to do that either but I understand that business are experiencing growth and don't have the staff to accommodate. I believe they are doing their best, we have to be patient and discerning when it's time to wait and time to move on.
2.) 30-minutes appointments: My daughter had 30-minute appointments, I cannot speak to what other's have experienced. At first, I though it was too short and wondered how effective it was going to be. I had to remind myself, it's not quantity but quality. Children cannot sit still for long periods of time and keep focused. It may not seem as though they are doing a lot of work but they are!
As the parent, we need to do our part and continue the practice at home. To me, it was a priority to have my daughter seen for speech. That meant having two appointments a week in the beginning. Our commute ,one-way, was 30 minutes. I didn't love that but I was willing to do it for the end result. Each family has to decide what is best for them and what they are willing to do to make it happen.
3.) Cost: I saw someone mentioned the time of the appointment and the cost. The cost reflects the specialized training a speech therapist must undergo in order to provide the service. A graduate degree is required, as well as appropriate certifications to be licensed. Again, one has to decide what is priority to them. I hate that we even have go prioritize our health care services based on money, yet here we are doing just that.
Overall and without a doubt, I felt as though Emily treated us like family and cared about us. She even went the extra mile many, many times to get comic books on subjects my daughter likes to encourage her and make her experience positive. Kudos! You did!!
