What happens in a Speech Pathology Assessment?

By September 7, 2018 May 14th, 2023 Speech Pathology
speech pathology, speech pathologist, speech pathology assessment, mascot, Bondi Junction

What happens in a Speech Pathology Assessment?

You’ve made the decision to have your assessed by one of  Speech Pathologists at OneOnOne Children’s Therapy. For some parents it is a relief to start the process, some parents feel quite anxious about the results of the assessment, and some parents feel overwhelmed with the journey they may be starting. It is normal to feel some or all of these emotions. This is what happens in the assessment at our Bondi Junction and Mascot clinics.

Parent Discussion

Our Speech Pathologists will be asking questions about your child’s development. This helps us understand all the components in your child’s life. We may ask information about who lives at home, what languages you speak at home, where your child goes to school or preschool. We ask these questions because they all impact communication development. Tell us what you are concerned about – why are you here.

The concerns that you raise about your child will determine how many questions our Speech Pathologists need to ask you. There is a big difference between the information we would need about a child with a lisp as opposed to a child who has been diagnosed with autism.

Getting to know your child

Every speech pathology starts with the therapist spending time getting to know your child. Young children always start an assessment with a play activity that they prefer. We encourage older children to play a game that they like. This is because it allows the Speech Pathologist to develop some rapport before the formal testing begins. It isn’t just playing though. During this period of time the Speech Pathologist is already beginning to make observations about your child’s communication. This informal part of the assessment is a valuable part of the process. Depending on the age of the child and the concerns raised by you, the parent interview and informal assessments may form the majority of the assessment.

Don’t be concerned about your child’s behavior during the assessment. Some are so shy they hardly talk, some throw tantrums, some desperately need to go to the toilet. These things happen on a regular basis and our Speech Pathologists are very experienced at handling children’s behaviour.

Formal Assessment

We use formal speech, language, literacy and written assessment tests when children get older. This allows us to breakdown many areas of development in a very specific way. It also allows our Speech Pathologists to compare your child’s performance to what is expected of children  their age. With this information we can determine the goals and objectives for intervention. Parents are welcome to observe this part of the assessment.

What happens at the end of the assessment?

Our Speech Pathologists always give you some immediate feedback about the assessment at the end of the consultation. The younger the child is, the easier this is to do. When children are older, we often have to spend time analysing test results before we can give specific feedback. You will  leave the assessment with some idea about what our recommendations are. After that,  we send a written report is provided. You will receive this within 10 working days. In the written report, your child’s Speech Pathologist will very clearly outline the recommendations, goals and objectives.

How do I learn more about Speech Pathology?

Speech Pathology Australia is also a useful resource to help you understand Speech Pathology.

How do I book my Child in for Speech Pathology?

Our Speech Pathologists are available  to answer all of your questions. If you are interested in more information then ring our Bondi Junction and Mascot clinics, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, at any time on (02) 8065 7837 or  email us. We are always very happy to explain the assessment process.