What to Expect at Your Child's First Evaluation

For a lot of families, the hardest part of an evaluation is not knowing what it is. The word sounds formal and a little clinical. In practice, it is mostly playing, talking, and listening.

Here is what the process generally looks like.

Before the visit

It usually starts with a conversation. You share what you have been noticing, how long it has been going on, and what your day to day looks like at home. This part matters. You see your child in far more situations than any evaluation can cover.

You may be asked about pregnancy and birth history, ear infections, hearing screenings, feeding, and how your child communicates at home, even without words.

It helps to jot down a few notes ahead of time. Specific examples are more useful than general impressions. "She says about eight words and gets frustrated when we don't understand" tells more than "she's behind."

During the visit

Most of it looks like play, because that is how young children show what they can actually do.

Depending on your child's age, an evaluation may include:

• Watching how your child plays, and how they communicate while playing
• Looking at how much your child understands, not just how much they say
• Listening to which sounds your child uses and how clear their speech is
• A quick look at how the lips, tongue, and jaw move
• Some structured tasks, like naming pictures or following directions
• Questions for you throughout

Your child does not need to prepare or perform. There is nothing to study for and no way to fail.

If your child has a hard day

Some kids warm up right away. Some cling to a parent, refuse to talk, or melt down entirely. That happens often, and it is not a wasted visit. How a child handles a new person and a new situation is useful information in itself, and a good evaluator will work around it or pick things up on another day.

After the visit

You should come away understanding what was observed and what it means in plain language. If therapy is recommended, you should hear why, what it would focus on, and roughly what it would look like.

If therapy is not recommended, that is a real outcome too. Sometimes the answer is that your child is developing typically and you can stop losing sleep over it. Sometimes it is that things are worth watching, with a plan to check back in a few months.

You will usually receive a written report summarizing the findings and recommendations.

Questions worth asking

• What did you see that stood out, and what looked typical?
• What would we be working on first?
• What can we do at home between sessions?
• How will we know it is working?

Asking questions is not being difficult. Good therapy works best when parents are part of it.

Getting started

Appointment requests here are reviewed personally by Nicole Cestro, M.S., CCC-SLP, TSSLD, rather than booked automatically. She will reach out to confirm a time that works for your family.