Your child's overall speech and language skills are assessed through parent interviews, play-based informal assessments, and (when needed) formal standardized assessments.
If your child is struggling to communicate, an initial phone consultation will allow us to determine an appropriate plan for intervention.
A speech assessment provides information regarding articulation and phonology skills, such as…
Which speech sounds are produced in error
In what context do the errors exist (words, phrases, sentences, etc)
Stimulability of sounds produced in error, when given strategies to assist in correct production
Other diagnoses that may contribute to the speech delay (e.g. Apraxia, Dysarthria, Ankyloglossia, etc).
How your child’s speech compares to other children his/her age
A language assessment looks at your child’s expressive, receptive, and pragmatic language skills, including…
Comprehension and use of basic concepts
The number of words your child uses/understands
Sentence structure and utterance length
Comprehension of spoken language as presented in a variety of contexts
Use of language for social purposes (e.g. greeting, initiating conversation, commenting, etc.)
How your child’s language skills compare to same-age peers
A fluency assessment will determine…
If your child has atypical rhythm and fluidity of speech (i.e. stuttering)
The type of disfluencies and frequency at which they occur
How your child’s fluency skills compare to same-age peers
An assistive technology/augmentative and alternative communication assessment (for the non-verbal/minimally verbal child) provides information regarding…
The type of assistive technology that will best assist your child in his/her communication needs