Frequently Asked Questions

Speech-Language Pathologists (also called SLPs or speech therapists) work with people of all ages, from infants to adults. Pediatric SLPs treat many types of communication impairments in children, including problems with:

• Speech sounds - How we say sounds and put them together into words. Some children's speech may not be understandable to others, or they have difficulty producing specific speech sounds (e.g.,  saying "wabbit" for "rabbit", "tat" for cat). Other words for these problems are articulation or phonological disorders, apraxia of speech, or dysarthria.

• Language - How we understand what we hear or read, and how we use words to tell others what we are thinking. Children with receptive language impairment may have trouble understanding questions and following directions. Children with expressive language impairment may have difficulty with vocabulary, asking and answering questions, using correct grammar, or communicating wants and needs. 

• Literacy - How well we read and write. Children with speech and language disorders may have difficulties with academic subjects such as reading, spelling, and writing.

• Social/Pragmatic Communication - How we follow the rules of speaking, such as taking turns, maintaining topic of conversation, or how we talk in different situations.

• Fluency - How well speech flows. Also known as "stuttering". Someone who stutters may repeat sounds, like "t-t-t-table", prolong sounds such as "mmmm-maybe"), or frequently use "um" or "uh".

The Speech Hale offers comprehensive speech and language evaluations and individual speech therapy sessions (30-60 minutes) for children aged 3-18 years old. Academic tutoring for Language Arts and Reading is also available on a limited basis.  As a mobile private practice, services are conveniently provided in the "hale" (home), preschool/day care, and school settings.

The Speech Hale provides services to most Central and West Oahu communities, including: Ko Olina, Kapolei, Makakilo, Ewa Beach, Kunia, Waipahu, Waipio, Waikele, Mililani, Wahiawa, Pearl City, Aiea, Halawa, and Moanalua. The Speech Hale also has Military base access to service areas such as Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, and Fort Shafter. Services provided outside of these areas will incur a $30 travel fee per session. Please call or email for more information regarding areas we serve.

A comprehensive evaluation by a Speech-Language Pathologist may include interviews, review of medical history, standardized tests, speech and/or language samples, observation, informal assessments, and/or rating scales and checklists. If your child does not have a prior evaluation within one year of requesting speech therapy, an evaluation is needed before beginning in order to create a plan of treatment. Evaluation appointments range from 45 minutes up to 2 hours, depending on the needs of your child and the extent of the testing. The information gathered from the evaluation will 1) help determine the presence and nature of a speech and/or language disorder, 2) identify your child's communication strengths and needs, and 3) aid in the development of a treatment plan.

The structure of a speech therapy session is determined by many things, such as client age and the speech and/or language goals that are being addressed. For young children through Kindergarten, treatment looks like play! Engaging toys and games are used as tools to address specific goals and objectives. Older children may do some work at a table, particularly when speech sound production or specific language concepts are being addressed. Overall, the goal is to make speech therapy fun and enjoyable for kids, as this encourages better attention and motivation to communicate.

At this time, The Speech Hale is not in-network with any insurance companies and is Private Pay only (cash, check, HSA, FSA, debit or credit card via Ivy Pay). As a small private practice, we are highly focused on children and the families we serve. We want the decisions we make about your child's therapy services to be made in collaboration with your 'ohana, not directed by an insurance company that does not understand your child's needs. 

The Speech Hale can provide a superbill to submit to your insurance company for possible out-of-network benefit reimbursement. In-home speech therapy sessions may be covered by your insurance company. Please reach out to your provider to verify your benefits, as we cannot guarantee reimbursement for services. 

Beginning January 1, 2022, if you're uninsured or if you opt for self-pay (i.e., not going through your health insurance), health providers like The Speech Hale must provide you with an estimate of the expected charges prior to receiving services. This is called a Good Faith Estimate (GFE). Included within the GFE are the expected charges for any services associated with your care. 

For more information, please visit the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website.