What is a speech and language assessment?
A speech and language assessment explores how a child understands language, expresses ideas, produces speech and communicates in everyday life. The speech and language therapist combines direct assessment with information from the child, family and educational setting to identify strengths, needs and appropriate support.
Speech, language and communication are different
Speech concerns the sounds a child makes and how clearly they are understood.
Receptive language is how a child understands words, sentences and spoken information.
Expressive language is how a child chooses words and builds messages to communicate ideas.
Communication includes using language socially and functionally with other people.
When might an assessment be useful?
Parents or teachers may notice unclear speech, difficulty following instructions, limited vocabulary, short or disorganised sentences, trouble explaining ideas, misunderstanding questions, difficulty joining conversation or communication that breaks down in busy situations. A child’s needs may look different at home and school.
What happens during the assessment?
The therapist selects activities suited to the child’s age, communication style and referral question. These may include conversation, play or structured tasks. Information about development, hearing, languages used, education and everyday participation may also be relevant. For multilingual children, assessment must distinguish a communication need from the ordinary process of learning and using more than one language.
What happens next?
The report should explain the child’s communication profile and the impact on learning, relationships and participation. Recommendations may include strategies for adults, environmental changes, targeted activities, therapy goals, school advice or referral to another service.
Developmental Language Disorder
Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) is a type of speech, language and communication need that affects how a child understands and uses language and creates obstacles in everyday communication or learning. The term is used when the language disorder is not associated with a known differentiating condition. A speech and language therapist considers diagnostic terminology within a comprehensive assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Is speech therapy only about pronunciation?
No. Speech and language therapists work across speech, receptive and expressive language, communication and, within relevant scopes, eating, drinking and swallowing.
Can the therapist work with school?
With appropriate consent, school information can strengthen assessment and recommendations can be designed for classroom use.
Can assessment be remote?
Some assessment and consultation can be delivered remotely, but suitability depends on the child, the question and the assessment method.
Does a speech and language assessment diagnose autism?
No single speech and language assessment should be presented as a standalone autism diagnosis. It can provide important information about communication within a wider multidisciplinary pathway.