The SLP may wish to conduct an additional quick screening before doing a full assessment. This brief screening typically involves the therapist observing your child, often while he interacts with classmates. The purpose of this screening is to determine whether the child may display possible signs of a speech disorder.

If your child appears to have communication difficulties during the SLP’s screening, the SLP will likely recommend an initial assessment, which is a full evaluation to determine the type and extent of the possible speech disorder. Having your child undergo an assessment does not automatically mean that he has a speech disorder; the SLP will determine this during the assessment. Sometimes, the initial assessment will be broken into several sessions. During the initial assessment, the speech therapist will conduct a series of tests and evaluations.