What is a communication assessment?
A communication assessment is a comprehensive evaluation performed by a speech pathologist to investigate concerns with your child’s communication development (speech, language and fluency).
Speech pathologists observe your child completing a range of activities to evaluate their skills in the following areas:
- Speech sounds (pronouncing sounds clearly)
- Understanding and listening
- Using words, sentences and gestures to express ideas
- Fluency and stuttering
- Voice quality such as pitch and tone
- Literacy
- Social communication and play
- Use of alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) such as visuals and text-to-speech technology
When is a Communication Assessment Recommended for a Child?
Children develop communication skills at different stages in their first eight years of life. During this time, it is common for children to make mistakes as they learn but if these challenges persist, it is important to get extra support from a speech pathologist.
Your child’s GP, paediatrician, teacher or other professional may recommend a communication assessment if your child is still having ongoing difficulty with communication. An assessment with a speech pathologist can help to identify which areas your child needs more support with. Some key indicators that your child may benefit from an assessment include:
- Late talking or not talking at all
- Difficulty understanding what others are saying
- Difficulty using speech sounds clearly, so others have trouble understanding what your child is saying
- Difficulty answering simple questions or following simple instructions
- Difficulty retelling a story
- Stuttering on sounds, syllables, words or phrases
Benefits of a Communication Assessment
If your child is accessing speech therapy for the first time, they will need a comprehensive communication assessment to determine their support goals. An assessment may be part of a diagnostic process or to understand where your child is at in their communication development.
Some of the most common benefits include:
- Greater understanding of the cause of your child’s speech and language difficulties
- Development of a tailored therapy plan to support your child’s communication goals
- Supporting assessment and diagnosis of other conditions that impact communication such as Autism or Dyslexia
- Identifying suitable adjustments for education settings
- Accessing assistive technologies such as text-to-speech and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices including tablet or smartphone apps
- Accessing learning support for additional language and literacy support
- Support to accessing funding such as NDIS or Medicare rebates
The Assessment Process
A communication assessment includes several components and activities to ensure a thorough evaluation of your child’s current abilities. At Learning Links, our assessments may include:
- Developmental history which may include questions about your child’s birth, when they started walking and talking and if any other family members have had difficulty with communication
- Parent interview to understand your child’s development and interests
- Play-based activities to observe how your child plays and interacts with others
- Functional activities to look at your child’s communication skills in everyday tasks
- Standardised assessments to evaluate your child’s speech and language skills compared to others their age
Understanding Assessment Results
Following the assessment, the speech pathologist will provide you with a comprehensive written report that outlines the areas of communication your child is progressing well in, where they need extra support and tailored recommendations to best support their specific needs. You will also be given the opportunity to schedule a phone consultation to discuss the results and next steps with the speech pathologist.
In the assessment report, your speech pathologist will provide a description of how your child performed in each area of communication assessed, which may include receptive language, expressive language, speech sounds, fluency, voice and oral structure.
At the end of the report, the speech pathologist will include a summary of their findings and any referrals. The findings may include descriptions of their developmental progress such as ‘demonstrates age-appropriate language skills’ or diagnostic labels such as ‘speech sound disorder’ or ‘language difficulties’.
Whether or not a diagnosis is made, the report will include referral recommendations such as ongoing speech therapy, further assessment from another professional (e.g., psychologist or occupational therapist) or additional learning support at school.
Assessment Tools Used by Learning Links
Learning Links’ speech pathologists use a range of standardised assessment tools to evaluate your child’s speech, language and communication:
- Preschool Language Scales (PLS-5): Suitable for evaluating early play skills, emergent language, early literacy and pre-talking communication in children aged from birth to 7 years.
- Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals – Preschool (CELF-P3): suitable for children aged 3 to 6 years to evaluate the language skills necessary to engage effectively in the classroom environment
- Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF-5): suitable for evaluating a range of language and literacy skills in children aged 5 to 21 years.
- Receptive-Expressive Emergent Language (REEL): a parent interview tool
Take the Next Step: Book a Communication Assessment Today
If you suspect your child is having difficulty with their speech and language development, a comprehensive communication assessment can help you determine what the next steps should be. Contact us today to book a communication assessment so you can find the right support for your child.