Speech Therapy, Early Intervention, Occupational Therapy
Address: 3231 S. National Avenue, Suite 100 | Springfield, MO 65807
No ratings yet
Insurances: No info provided
Ages Served: Children
Care Settings: No info provided
AboutServicesFAQ
About Mercy Autism Collaborative - Springfield
Mercy Autism Collaborative in Springfield, Missouri operates two days a month. Mercy pediatricians and family practice doctors refer children to the clinic. In a single appointment, the children get a comprehensive evaluation including speech and occupational therapy as well as psychological testing. Missouri State University (MSU) conducts a functional analysis, which looks at children’s behavior and their ability to problem solve and move from one activity to another.
Leave a review: Would you recommend this provider?
Frequently Asked Questions
The goal of speech therapy is to help your child communicate effectively with other people across all environments. This may take the form of using gestures, simple signs, verbal speech, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Some other common things speech therapists can help with:
Nonverbal skills, such as signs or gestures
Forming speech in a clearer way
Communicating thoughts and feelings clearly
Understanding and responding to questions
Discerning facial expressions and their corresponding emotions
Noticing and understanding body language
Feeding and swallowing
Stuttering
“Early Intervention” might be the provider’s way of describing services that they provide to babies or young children. However, it might also indicate that the provider is a vendor for your state’s publicly funded program. This means the services with this provider might be covered by your state!
The first step in accessing these free services from your state is to get an evaluation. The evaluation will help the state determine what services your child qualifies for, if any. You can find your state’s local EI program by clicking here.
When you contact your local center, say “I have concerns about my child’s development and I would like to have my child evaluated to find out if they are eligible for early intervention services.” They will ask screening questions and arrange for an evaluation, which is provided for free.
The occupational therapy process includes an OT evaluation before care starts. Here are the four steps your family can expect when starting occupational therapy:
Complete OT evaluation. An occupational therapist first identifies your strengths and needs through a thorough OT evaluation, also known as an OT assessment or screening. You’ll answer questions about you your skills, and you will most likely demonstrate these skills via hands-on activities with the therapist. Evaluations can last 30 minutes to a couple hours.
Approve OT plan. The therapist develops a care plan with individualized goals and customized interventions based on your needs. You can also share any specific goals or concerns before approving the OT plan.
Start therapy sessions. The therapist works directly with you, using various strategies and exercises to systematically improve areas of limitations and to build upon your strengths. If there are others part of your care team, the therapist may teach strategies for supporting your individualized needs at home and may recommend tools and techniques to use at home, in the community, or in the classroom to help you thrive.
Monitor your progress. You can expect ongoing progress monitoring and communication to ensure you're achieving your short and long-term goals.
Children
English