Standard Assessment
This assessment is designed for clients ready to begin ongoing treatment. It is appropriate for all children who have never had a speech and language assessment or whose communication skills have changed significantly since their last assessment.
This assessment will highlight a child’s strengths and pinpoint areas of need for the child when communicating. Our SLPs utilize caregiver interviews, clinical observation, and standardized assessment measures to assess skill areas based on developmental levels. Including:
- Receptive language abilities
- Expressive language abilities
- Speech Sounds
- Social skills
- Play skills
- Literacy skills
A written report is provided to the family within 4-6 weeks after the in-clinic assessment. A meeting with the caregiver is then scheduled to review the assessment results, our recommendations for goals and possible ongoing therapy services.
Augmentative + Alternative Communication Assessment
An assessment for AAC is helpful when:
- A child has limited verbal communication, and their caregivers would like to explore ACC as an option for supporting their child to communicate
- A child has been using AAC for a while, but their current AAC system is not serving them adequately, or they have ceased using it
Assessment for AAC usually includes:
- Interviews with caregivers
- Observation of the child
- Review of all relevant records/reports
- Direct evaluation by interacting with your child
- Information gathering (via all modalities above) regarding your child’s:
- Strengths, needs, and communication preferences
- Sensory needs
- Motivations and interests
- Cognitive and functional skills
- Social skills
- Receptive language abilities
- Current modes and functions of communication
- Visual motor coordination
- Understanding of visual information
- Literacy skills
Augmentative + Alternative Communication Consultation
A 60-minute consultation for AAC may be helpful when:
- A child has limited verbal communication, and their caregivers would like a brief consultation as to whether an AAC assessment might be appropriate
- A child is already using AAC, and their caregivers want some hands-on training in how to support their child
- A child who uses AAC is having difficulty with their AAC system, and their caregivers are looking for ideas about what to do to support their child
An AAC Consultation can include:
- Interview with the caregivers
- Observation of the child
- Working directly with the child
- Recommendations were provided verbally during the session
After the AAC Consultation, a caregiver can pursue an AAC Assessment. The total cost via this pathway is that of an AAC Assessment. (We use the information gathered in the consultation as part of our information gathering for the assessment.)
** AAC Assessments and AAC Consultations begin with a 15-minute parent phone or video call, which assists our clinicians in consulting with caregivers about whether an AAC Consultation or an AAC Assessment is the best path for their child’s needs.
Care Plan
This service is designed for clients who already have a current SLP Assessment Report and wish to begin or continue ongoing speech services with Little Buddies. In these circumstances, we require an initial intake fee which includes:
- Caregiver Initial Interview via telephone
- Time for your child’s treating OT to review all documentation provided
- Report time to compile an OT Care Plan including a brief summary of clinical impressions and goals to guide on-going treatment