When there are concerns regarding your child’s speech and language skills, we have a few options available that will help to assess your child’s needs: a screening or a full evaluation. A screening is a brief meeting with your child that will determine your child’s strengths and weaknesses through informal measures. An evaluation is a formal, more comprehensive approach that provides more information. Below are more contrasts of these two assessments:
Speech-Language Screening:
• Completed at a school or in one of our clinics
• 15 minutes when completed a school; 15-minute screen with 10-15 minutes parent follow-up when completed in clinic
• No formal testing completed- screening protocols may be used depending upon concerns, but no standard scores comparing your child to same-age peers will be obtained
• Speech therapist informally obtains child’s articulation, language and social skills through conversation or play-based activities
• No formal written report
• School screenings- a written summary of the screening’s findings with recommendations that may include a full evaluation, referral to another discipline or monitoring of skills with a follow-up in 3 months. In clinic screenings- a wrap-up at the end of the screening with similar recommendations to the school screening
Speech-Language Evaluation:
• Approval from insurance and information of benefits required
• Physician referral or prescription required
• One 1-hour diagnostic session- if additional time is needed, this can take place during the first scheduled therapy session
• Parents complete history intake form prior to evaluation
• Parent interview will be completed at the beginning of the evaluation to learn more information and clarify any information on parent intake form
• Formal testing completed to obtain standard scores that are compared to same-age peers
• Full report composed, including background information, results of testing, impressions, additional recommendations and therapy goals
• A separate follow-up meeting will be scheduled with parents to discuss the evaluation, report and recommendations
To find out more on how your child may benefit from a screen or evaluation, contact us here.
