Little River Speech & Language is a private speech and language teletherapy practice serving families in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Georgia, and worldwide.
ABOUT ME
I am an ASHA certified speech-language pathologist (CCC-SLP) with over 10 years of experience working with preschool (ages 3-5) and school-aged (K-12) children. I received my training at Vanderbilt University (Masters in speech-language pathology) and The University of Wisconsin - Madison (Bachelor of science, Communication Disorders and Psychology). I am both rooted in the science of speech, language, and literacy development, and driven by the art of finding out what works best for each unique child.
Geographic location and time zone need not be barriers. I prioritize robust virtual platforms for evaluation and therapy services - so that any child can access high quality SLP services, no matter where they are located. As part of a foreign service family with postings overseas, I am proud to offer creative tele-practice services that meet the unique demands of U.S. English speaking families all over the world.
Laurie Matz, M.S., CCC-SLP
SERVICES
I primarily work with school-aged children (grades K-12), and specialize in: receptive and expressive language, speech-sound clarity, stuttering, language-based learning disabilities (reading, writing, and executive functioning difficulties), and assistive technology for literacy.
INITIAL CONSULTATION
A free consultation over the phone or video conference to find out more about your child. I will explain different evaluation and therapy options and customize a plan specific to your child’s needs.
VIRTUAL THERAPY
VIRTUAL EVALUATIONS
Evaluation length will depend on your child’s needs, either all at once or broken into shorter sessions. Skill areas I assess include: speech-sound production/oral motor skills, speech fluency (stuttering), expressive and receptive oral language, phonological awareness, reading, spelling, written language, and executive functioning skills. Evaluations include a meeting to review results, a thorough report of testing outcomes, and recommendations.
Recurring teletherapy over a secure video conferencing platform. One key benefit of telepractice is flexibility. We will work together to determine an ideal schedule for your child, which can take place in the comfort of your home or at school (teacher/administrator support would be required).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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How do I get started?Contact me at laurie@littleriverslp.com! I will share my current availability and session rates and will follow up with a link with my paperwork/questionnaire about your child. If an evaluation or therapy are needed, I will then develop a plan specific to your child’s needs.
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Is teletherapy right for my child?Teletherapy has been shown to be just as effective as traditional live therapy in most cases; however, it is not the right fit for all children or all goal areas. One benefit is that teletherapy can occur in your home or in your child’s school with teacher/administrator support. As long as your child has a quiet space and we can hear and see each other, we can make it work! In our initial consultation, I will talk about how teletherapy may or may not work for your child. If it is not the right fit, I will do my best to help you find a local SLP.
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What do I need at home for teletherapy?I use Zoom for Healthcare for my telepractice. My top recommendation is a laptop or computer with access to high speed internet. Chromebooks, tablets/ipads or mobile devices can be used successfully, but they have limited functionality on the Zoom platform. I also recommend working in a quiet space to reduce distractions and background noise. A headset with a microphone will also improve the quality of the audio signal.
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Do you provide services in my location?Licensing restrictions may apply depending on where you are in the world. Please contact me to find out if I can serve in your location.
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Do you accept insurance?I do not contract directly with insurance companies - I am an out-of-network provider. I recommend contacting your insurance to find out 1) If speech and language therapy is covered - the procedural codes are typically 92522 or 92523 for evaluations and 92507 for therapy; 2) If your child’s diagnostic codes are covered - ask me about diagnostic codes; 3) How you can submit monthly superbills for reimbursement. I also can accept FSA (flexible spending account) and HSA (health savings account) cards.
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Why the name “Little River”?Little River is a nod to my local community around the Little River Turnpike in northern Virginia. I am also inspired by the many properties of rivers, as they relate to communication: start small and evolve into something mighty, each completely unique. I will bring the local speech, language & literacy therapy to you, if we’re 5 or 5,000 miles apart.