Birth to three vs. Private therapy?

[numbbears]

DS used both. If your EI isn't free or insurance won't cover both, and this probably varies from state-to-state, but with EI here you can chose to not go through insurance and pay OOP (not as much as you'd pay normal private and the amount varies based on income).

Both places had benefits. In home, he was more comfortable, but also more distracted. At the private therapy, he was just with the therapist instead of with me. He started doing new and different stuff with both places. The OT with EI really got him motivated and able to sit through a therapy session. His first word was with her. Private therapy was actually who referred him to EI.

[mrsbuttinski]

There can be pluses and minuses to either. In some places, people elect to do both or a mix of services.

I tend to agree with the NICU people suggesting a private SLP because you are much more likely to find one who specializes in the challenges your DS faces with feeding. You might have the best luck at a pediatric hospital clinic for this particular need.

Choosing the private route gives you more control over who you see with the potential to continue care past age 3, but EI often has people who are very familiar with working with this age group. And when they're used to working as part of a team, they can coordinate care more effectively.

Another difference is the philosophy of EI- you would be supported with a Individual Family Service Plan- your needs will be included. Often EI comes to you and trains you to continue the work rather than you going to an office and waiting passively while the therapist works with your DS.

[luvboston]

We went straight to private Bc el wasn't specialized enough and in our area the sl talk in poor English.

[greysonsmom]

My insurance didn't cover therapy and we couldn't afford $1000+ a month so we went through EI. We still pay a portion of the therapy based on our income.

[Deleted]

We did EI to child find to school services. Our insurance covers no therapies and we could not afford to pay OOP.

I suspect things vary significantly from place to place, as to whether the EI program is decent or not.