What is a Speech/Language Screening?
A speech/language screening is a cursory look at your child's speech/language development to determine if s/he is developing as expected for his/her chronological age. It is carried out by a licensed/certified speech/language pathologist, and takes about 15-20 minutes to complete.
Who should undergo a
speech/language screening?
Any
child whose parents, teachers, and/or pediatrician suspect is not
developing speech/language and/or social communication skills as
expected or as compared to his/her peers (please see speech/language
milestones posted on this site).
What is the difference
between a speech/language screening and a speech/language evaluation?
A
screening provides an overview of the child's speech/language
development, including skills that are delayed for his/her age and
those developing as expected. Informal assessments are used (e.g.
language sampling, tasks designed by the speech/language therapist,
parental report, etc.). Since the time spent on the screening and
report writing is shorter, the cost is lower than for an evaluation.
A
speech/language evaluation uses standardized testing in addition
to the informal assessments in order to provide standardized scores
that show where your child is with respect to other children at
his/her chronological age. More time is spent to delve deeper into
the specific areas of speech and/or language in order to determine
the extend of the delay/disorder that may be present. The report
provided is longer and more detailed. The cost is typically higher
given the time spent on the evaluation and report.
When should I choose to
have a screening, and when should I choose to have an evaluation?
A
screening is recommended when your concern with your child's
communication skills is straightforward, and you simply want to know
whether or not speech/language therapy is necessary. The results of
a screening would be recommendation for speech/language therapy, recommendation for additional evaluation in a particular area, or no services are recommended at that time.
An
evaluation is recommended when your concerns are more involved
(i.e. several language and/or speech difficulties exist), and/or you
require a detailed report to share with your child's school district
or other professionals). The results of an evaluation would be recommendation for speech/language therapy, a referral to another
professional, or no services are recommended at that time.
If you
are unsure which to choose, or you would like a free screening,
please consult with Shirit Megiddo, M,S., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL by emailing
at shiritm@gmail.com or calling (650)814-6866.
