Will My Insurance Cover Toddler Therapy?

Raising a toddler can be hilarious, exhausting, and frustrating all at once. Your little tempest in a teapot can be singing happily one minute and in the throes of a total tantrum the next. With that said, there may be something about your toddler's development that gives you cause for concern and consider therapy to help them. With this in mind, you may wonder: is toddler therapy covered by insurance?

For starters, it's helps to understand the reasons a toddler may benefit from therapy. Because normal toddler behavior can include screaming meltdowns for no apparent reason, it can be tricky for caregivers to tell when something might signal a cause for concern. After all, what toddler doesn't seem to have trouble coping with emotions in an effective way? With that said, if your toddler appears to have a developmental delay or disorder, then therapy may benefit your child by identifying potential problems early on, according to Kids Health. As an example, if your toddler is not meeting major milestones, like speaking or walking, at the same rate as his peers, then therapy may be beneficial. Additionally, if you simply have a gut feeling something might be off, then checking with a therapist about your toddler's behaviors and development is wise, according to Child Therapy Chicago. Sometimes parents just know when something is up.

Once you've decided to look into therapy for your toddler, the next big question arises: how much is this going to cost? Well, the specifics will vary based on your particular insurance company, so your best bet is to review your individual insurance plan. (Always fun reading, right?) However, the outlook may be more positive than you suspect. According to the Pediatric Therapy and Learning Center's website, a number of major insurance companies have become more open to therapeutic services for children, so your insurance may cover speech or occupational therapy for your toddler. Doing the research to locate an in-network provider for your kid can be a time-consuming process, but helping your kid find the right therapist could be a major benefit for your entire family. In the end, hopefully your toddler will get the helpful and affordable care he deserves.