Beginning at age 3, children may qualify to receive speech and language services for free through the public school system in the district they reside in.
A screening is a very brief, overall glimpse at an individual’s communication skills. It skims over all areas of speech and language, including articulation, fluency, voice, grammar, vocabulary, conversational skills, and language memory. Screenings usually take only 15-20 minutes to conduct. Screenings only indicate whether further, in-depth testing is warranted in any specific communication area(s).
A comprehensive evaluation is a lengthy, in-depth and detailed look at an individual’s communication skills. Evaluations typically take an hour or more to administer. Comprehensive speech and language evaluations give specific, detailed results of all areas tested. Upon completion of a comprehensive evaluation, the parent or client receives a written report of the results, including professional recommendations. To qualify for school based speech and language services, the child's area of need must have an adverse effect on their education performance.
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