Ready to get started? We'd love to meet your family.
Starting speech therapy is simpler than you might think. Here’s how it works — and we’re always a phone call away if you have questions.
How to get started
1
Reach out
Call the practice and tell us a little about your child and what you’re noticing — we’ll point you in the right direction.
2
Register
We send a registration link to register you in our secure portal, then gather intake paperwork, consent forms, and insurance details.
3
Verify benefits
Once we have your intake and insurance, we verify your benefits and check whether a referral or prior authorization is needed.
4
Evaluation
With no referral or authorization needed — or for private pay — we schedule your evaluation right away, or once it’s approved.
5
Begin therapy
After the evaluation, therapy begins once any authorization is in place and we’ve built your child’s plan of care together.
Length and frequency of care vary by child and insurance — we’ll walk you through what to expect.
Most families go from first contact to starting therapy in about one week for private pay, or about two weeks with insurance when a referral or authorization is needed. Timelines vary by plan and paperwork.
Before your first visit
What to have handy
To make your first visit smooth, it helps to have a few things ready. Bring these to your first appointment — there’s no need to send anything sensitive online.
- ☐ Your insurance card
- ☐ Any prior evaluations or reports
- ☐ Your child's school IEP or 504 plan (if they have one)
- ☐ A list of your questions and goals
🔒 Please don’t send medical records or insurance details through the website form. We’ll collect anything we need securely through our patient portal.
Real examples from our work
Danna’s style is engaging, personalized, and child-centered — play-based and child-led with younger children, and rapport- and interest-driven with older kids and teens. The stories below illustrate the kind of work we do. Every child is different, and these aren’t promises of specific outcomes.
From unclear speech to confident communication
A child came to therapy because his speech was very hard to understand. We identified characteristics of childhood apraxia of speech and focused on motor planning and sequencing — motor-learning practice, visual and verbal cueing, chaining, and multisensory supports. As his skills grew, we increased the complexity of words, phrases, and conversation. His intelligibility improved meaningfully, and he’s now refining higher-level speech.
Building language and speech clarity together
A young child was referred for delayed language, short sentences, and speech sound errors. We targeted both at once — longer sentences, vocabulary, and answering questions through play, modeling, and recasting; and phonological strategies like minimal pairs and auditory discrimination for speech. Blending structure with child-led play, the child became more confident, easier to understand, and better able to express ideas.
Supporting teens with language-based learning needs
Working with high schoolers in a school setting, Danna has supported teens whose language difficulties affect academics — understanding complex or figurative language, expressing ideas, and organizing assignments. Therapy focused on curriculum-related skills using classroom materials and real-life scenarios. Over time, students participated more confidently and expressed ideas more clearly, working toward independent communication.
Your child's first step starts here
Request an appointment and we’ll take it from there.
Frequently asked questions
Getting Started
How do I know if my child needs speech therapy?
If your child is hard to understand, has a limited vocabulary or late-developing language, struggles to follow directions, isn’t meeting communication milestones, or finds conversation and social interaction difficult, a speech and language evaluation can give you clarity. Every child develops at their own pace, but a professional assessment helps you understand what’s going on and what would help. Danna Mejia, M.S., CCC-SLP, evaluates children and teens in English and Spanish. It’s never too early — or too late — to ask. Reach out and we’ll help you decide on a next step.
Do I need a referral or prescription to start?
It depends on your coverage. Some insurance plans require a referral or prior authorization from your child’s pediatrician before therapy can begin, and some don’t. When you register, we verify your benefits and check whether a referral or authorization is needed, then help you obtain the right paperwork so nothing stalls. If you’re paying privately, no referral is required and we can go straight to scheduling. Not sure where you stand? Contact us and we’ll verify your current benefits for you.
What happens during the evaluation?
The evaluation is a comprehensive look at how your child communicates. Using standardized assessment tools alongside clinical observation, Danna looks at areas such as speech sound production, understanding and using language, and social communication — in English, Spanish, or both. Afterward, she discusses the results with you, answers your questions, and outlines an individualized plan of care with goals tailored to your child, along with a written report. The evaluation is the foundation for everything that follows. See Getting Started for how the full process works.
How do we get started?
Getting started is simple. It begins with a quick call to (954) 281-6818. We send a registration link (or you can use the Request an Appointment button) to register in our secure patient portal, where we collect intake paperwork, consent forms, and insurance information. We verify your benefits and handle any referral or authorization needed, then schedule the evaluation — right away for private pay. After the evaluation, therapy begins once any authorization is in place and the plan of care is set. See the full Getting Started steps.
Sessions & What to Expect
How often will my child have therapy, and how long are sessions?
Sessions are typically 30 to 60 minutes, often once or twice a week — but the right frequency is individualized and set after the evaluation, based on your child’s needs and, where relevant, your insurance plan. Younger children sometimes do better with shorter, more frequent sessions; older kids and teens may do longer ones. Danna will recommend a schedule and adjust it as your child progresses. Consistency between sessions matters too, which is why home strategies are part of every plan.
How long will my child need speech therapy?
It varies from child to child — there’s no one-size-fits-all timeline, and we don’t make guarantees. Some children meet their goals within a few months; others, depending on their needs, benefit from longer-term support. What stays constant is that progress is reviewed regularly and the plan of care is adjusted as your child grows and develops. Danna keeps you informed about how things are going and what to expect next, so you’re never left guessing about your child’s path.
Will I be involved in my child's therapy?
Yes — and your involvement makes a real difference. Thrive’s approach is family-centered: Danna coaches parents and caregivers and shares simple strategies you can use at home, so progress continues between sessions. You’ll receive updates on how your child is doing and practical ways to support communication during everyday routines. You know your child best, and therapy works best as a partnership. Care is offered in English and Spanish, so you can be fully involved in the language you’re most comfortable in.
What does a therapy session look like?
Sessions are individualized and one-on-one, generally 30–60 minutes, and built around what your child needs and enjoys so they stay engaged and motivated. Danna uses evidence-based methods, adapting activities to your child’s age and goals — more play-centered for little ones, more conversation- and academic-focused for older kids and teens. Many sessions end with a brief parent check-in and home strategies. Sessions can be in person in Deerfield Beach or by secure telehealth across Florida, in English, Spanish, or both.