Looking forward to your child’s upcoming SLP Assessment? Not sure what to expect?
Let’s review the assessment process.
Step 1:
The SLP will explain the assessment plan. This plan may consist of informal measures, formal measures and a caregiver interview or questionnaire. Each type of assessment is useful to understand different aspects of a child’s communication.
- Informal measures are often play-based; they do not have a set sequence or administration procedure. The SLP may ask to observe you playing and interacting with your child as well.
- Formal measures have a set administration procedure so the child’s test scores can be reliably compared to predetermined benchmarks.
- The SLP may ask you questions relating to your child’s development and communication or have a questionnaire for you to complete.
Step 2:
The SLP will administer the assessment plan, and document observations and results.
Step 3:
The SLP will share feedback regarding your child’s communication skills and recommendations for next steps (e.g., therapy, further assessment, referrals to other professionals).
Step 4:
The SLP will write a summary note of the assessment observations and results, feedback, and recommendations.
Speech assessment vs. Language assessment
During a speech assessment, an SLP assesses how an individual produces sounds and words. An individual with speech difficulties may mispronounce certain sounds, have difficulty making certain speech movements, stutter, or have a hoarse voice.
During a language assessment, an SLP assesses an individual’s expressive language (how language is being used) and receptive language (how language is understood). An individual with language difficulties may have limited vocabulary, short or ungrammatical sentences, difficulty telling stories or sharing ideas, or difficulty understanding directions or questions. Since language is often acquired in social contexts, an SLP may also assess an individual’s social communication skills.
If the SLP recommends therapy…
The SLP creates a therapy plan with therapy goals. During therapy, an SLP or CDA uses different activities, often play-based when working with children, to target the goals. Therapy often involves caregiver training or participation to encourage home practice activities.
An SLP will recommend a frequency of therapy (e.g., 30 minutes once a week) depending on the child’s communication goals, funding options, and scheduling. An SLP may also recommend a time frame for therapy to occur (e.g., 6 weeks, 8 weeks) prior to re-evaluating the therapy goals. The details of the treatment plan (e.g., goal, frequency, time frame) may be adjusted overtime to provide the most effective support for the child. When given these recommendations, caregivers are encouraged to share questions or concerns.
Hopefully, this summary helps you feel prepared for your upcoming assessment. If you have further questions, please feel free to ask us!
