A comprehensive speech-language evaluation will look at the following:

• Receptive language, or what your child understands (semantics, syntax, and morphology). Following directions.

• Expressive language, or the way your child expresses him/herself (semantics, syntax, morphology, narrative abilities, and pragmatics). There are various ways to communicate - signing, picture and of course orally. 

• Articulation, or how your child produces the specific speech sounds.

Additionally, Diane may also assess oral motor and/or feeding skills if a child is having difficulty chewing, swallowing, or tolerating different textures.

A thorough explanation of the evaluation results and specific recommendations will be made based on testing, including individualized goals. Families will also be provided with a report that details the results of the evaluation, including their child’s strengths and weaknesses, and a specific treatment plan (if applicable).

Common Referral Criteria for a Pediatric Speech-Language Evaluation

Why is getting therapy early in life so important? In the July 2010 issue of Pediatrics, they presented the results of a 29-year study of the impact on children with speech delays. The results showed children with speech delays were at a greater risk for developing social, emotional, or behavioral problems as adults. The researchers used standardized tests to measure receptive language skills among almost 7,000 children at age 5. Overall, children who showed signs of delays in receptive language skills at age 5 were more likely to experience mental health problems at the age 34 than children who did not experience such delays. These findings were more pronounced among men than women.  With statistics like these in mind, health professionals highly encourage parents to engage in early intervention with their children to provide therapy and maximize their potential at a young age.

Birth to 2 Years:

• When a parent is concerned about speech or language development

• If the child is not talking at all by age 18 months

• If there are medical or developmental concerns that may affect speech

• If the child is embarrassed by his/her speech at any age

At Age 2 if:

• The child has a hearing impairment and/or does not respond to quiet sounds or voices

• The child has a cleft palate or excessive nasal quality in voice

• The child does not begin combining words by age 2 (e.g. “more milk”)

• The child exhibits limited vocabulary development (e.g. uses less than 50 words)

At Age 3 if:

• The child is nonfluent or thought to stutter for longer than six months

• There is an absence of sentence structure

• Speech is difficult for family to understand

• There are many omissions of beginning and ending consonants

• Speech is limited to echoing of other’s statements, songs, rhymes, etc.

At Age 4 if:

• Word endings (e.g. “ed” or “ing”) are consistently dropped or used inconsistently

• Communication skills are inadequate for interaction in school environment 

• The child has difficulty answering “wh” questions

• The child is not demonstrating correct word order for basic sentences

At Age 5 if:

• The child is noticeably dysfluent, or parents express concern

• Hoarse, harsh or unusual voice quality

• Mispronounces any sounds