For whom?
For children from 1 to 17 years old who have difficulties understanding, speaking, producing some speech sounds or communicating (oral language and speech sounds assessment).
For adults who have difficulties articulating some speech sounds (speech sounds assessment).
By whom?
By a Speech-Language Pathologist member of the Ordre des orthophonistes et audiologistes du Québec.
How?
A speech and language assessment in a preschooler's first language generally takes 2h30 over two sessions, depending on his or her cooperation and abilities. It sometimes takes less time for toddlers and longer for older children. If there is a need to assess in a second language, it usually takes two more sessions. For adults, one session is enough to assess speech sounds.
The speech-language pathologist will start by asking you some questions about your child's development and difficulties. She can then use toys, pictures, games, her computer and an electronic tablet to perform the assessment.
At this point, the child is encouraged to point to pictures or objects, to move or play with objects, to follow directions, to name pictures or objects, to repeat words or sentences, to complete sentences, to tell a story, depending on his or her abilities. Everything takes place without pressure and in an amusing way for the child.
For adults, the speech-language pathologist will ask you questions about your difficulties and will have a conversation with you.
What are skills are assessed?
Taking into account the child's age and communication skills, the speech-language pathologist assesses:
Preverbal Skills
including eye contact, functional play, turn taking, etc.
(for younger ones or children whose communication skills are less developed). Language
- Phonology i.e. speech sounds.
- Morphosyntax including sentence building, use of grammatical words (pronouns, etc.) and more.- Semantics including expressive vocabulary.
- Pragmatics including conversational skills, story-telling, etc.
- Comprehension including receptive vocabulary, understanding concepts and sentences, etc.
Speech
- Articulation.
- Some aspects of fluency.- Prosody.
- Some aspects of the voice.
The speech-language pathologist can offer you to make a complete speech and language assessment, considering that some difficulties such as comprehension difficulties, for example, might sometimes go unnoticed. It is always possible however to target only the skills you are worried about for the assessment.
* Please note that I do not assess written language skills, stuttering, voice, orofacial myofunctional disorder, swallowing, dysphagia and aphasia.
What are the rates?
Assessment rate is 275$/hour and includes results analysis and writing of the speech and language assessment report. Assessment and therapy rates are determined by each speech-language pathologist according to her professional experience. The cost of speech and language assessment and therapy is often reimbursed by insurance companies. Find out from yours.