Comprehensive Speech Therapy for All Ages

Speech Therapy Services in Ancaster

Speech and overall communication are central to our lives, but we don’t all communicate the same way. Many factors can affect our ability to communicate our desires, needs, personalities, and opinions clearly and effectively.

Our brains usually soak up and reproduce speech sounds and language patterns naturally over time. It’s completely normal for many sounds to take up to 7 years to develop (did you know that there are over 20 different ways to produce an ‘R’ sound?!), but sometimes, early speech difficulties can be an indicator of neurodivergence (an operating system that processes information differently).

Direct intervention can be a big help during those formative language-building years, or after an event that affects speech later in life such as a stroke or brain injury.

Most people don’t know that Speech Language Pathologists work with people of all ages on a huge range of challenges! We know that timely treatment is important and we work hard to get you into service quickly with minimal wait times.

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), supported by Communicative Disorder Assistants (CDAs), work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat issues with:

Speech articulation, stuttering & general fluency
Language & literacy
Social communication & social skills
‘Total Communication’ – including verbal, written, gestural, and assistive tech
Cognitive communication, working memory
Swallowing disorders, head and neck cancer recovery
Voice projection and volume control
Executive function assessment and support
Aphasia & apraxia of speech
Stroke, aneurysm, tumors
Degenerative diseases like dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS & Multiple Sclerosis
Traumatic Brain Injuries & acquired neurodivergence
Gender-affirming voice therapy

Our Speech & Communication team, Alannah Uens (Speech Language Pathologist), Asia Laviolette (Speech Language Pathologist), Chantelle Donahue (Speech Language Pathologist), and Bryanna MacKay (Communicative Disorders Assistant) treat children, teens, and adults using age-appropriate strategies and creative activities in 50-minute blocks.

Children’s Speech Therapy Services

Speech therapy can be helpful in early Autism intervention, when managing Learning Disabilities & Communication Disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, and when working on stuttering or general articulation challenges in little people. Our team loves working with minds of all kinds, including Gestalt language processors. Our speech team also consults regularly on our children’s programming such as school break camps and Social Sundays, and are heavily involved in our therapeutic day programs. Like all services at NowWhat, we want speech and communication support to be a joyful, natural experience wherever possible, and sessions with our SLPs will often involve visits to the animal room or outdoors, and will incorporate children’s current interests and passions.

Adult Speech Therapy Services

Adults may seek speech support for a variety of reasons:

After a concussion or Traumatic Brain Injury
As part of their stroke recovery
As treatment for Aphasia of speech
For voice support during gender transitions
After a Parkinson’s diagnosis (or similar)
To assess and support Executive Function gaps*

*Teens and adults suspecting that they may have ADHD can use their SLP benefits (if available) to access an Executive Function assessment called FAVRES that will pinpoint specific areas that could use targeted support (such as working memory, sequencing, prioritization, organization, etc.), and help plan the external scaffolding and strategies at work and home that are most effective for their unique brains!

Learn more about the FAVRES Assessment here!

Speech & Language coverage (SLP) are usually included in employer-provided benefit plans, in a separate category from mental health supports. OAP funds also cover SLP services.

Speech Therapy Rates at NowWhat

Standard Speech Therapy Initial Assessment: $375
(follow-up sessions: $195)

Intake form/case history review
Parent/guardian interview
Initial appointment (50 min)
Parent feedback with verbal recommendations for targeted skills practice based on the concerns and challenges identified

Comprehensive Speech Therapy Initial Assessment: $650
(follow-up sessions: $195)

Intake form/case history review
Parent/guardian interview
Initial appointment (50 min)
Parent feedback with verbal recommendations for targeted skills practice based on the concerns and challenges identified
Full written report provided

Sessions with our Speech Therapy team are covered by most extended benefit plans under SLP, Passport funds, Jordan’s Principle & OAP funding .

Family billing for Speech Language Pathology (SLP): CASLPO regulations state that when billing for training the parent or caregiver of a child, the child’s name must be on the financial record as they are the ultimate patient. For example, Miguel (parent) attends a session for their child, Alex. The receipt must be issued in the child’s name, and in the footnotes, you would see: Intervention: Parent Training for Miguel Smith (patient is Alex Smith). It is up to each family to find out if they are covered for education and training sessions through the parent and/or child’s health insurance – please reach out to confirm your coverage before booking services.

For some clients (especially young children), we may not be able to observe a full picture of their strengths and weaknesses within one session. The observation and assessment process continues informally throughout your follow-up sessions, as trust and rapport are built over time and your SLP gets to know you better!
Initial Assessment fees include the in-person client session as well as the ‘behind the scenes’ work of analyzing the information and preparing a report/treatment plan. Initial sessions are booked for up to 50 minutes (this will show as 60 minutes on your receipt to allow for documentation in the final 10 minutes), but everyone’s window of tolerance for assessment is different, and you or your child may not require or tolerate the full length of the in-person session. We will always do our best to ensure your therapeutic experience feels safe and positive, and we will hit pause if things become stressful. If we are unable to gather enough data to prepare a report within a person’s window of tolerance for a Comprehensive written report, we will arrange for an additional session (up to 30 minutes) at no extra charge so we can complete the assessment. The SLP will also connect with you once you have the report (via email, or a short phone/video call) so you can talk about the recommendations and ask questions about anything you don’t understand.
Often our initial SLP sessions will be booked with both our SLP and our CDA, to allow the wider speech team to get to know you and collaborate on you/your child’s treatment.