What to Expect at your Child’s First Speech Therapy Evaluation with Kaiting
It is completely normal to feel anxious and overwhelmed before your child’s first speech therapy evaluation! Your fear just means you love your child deeply! I hope this post will help you worry a little less about what it would be like to have an initial evaluation with me.
There is zero pressure for your child to "behave perfectly."
If your child has a meltdown, climbs on the furniture, hides behind your legs, or refuses to speak to me at first—that is 100% okay. I am a speech-language pathologist; I meet children exactly where they are, and I am entirely unbothered by normal childhood big emotions.
The vast majority of my evaluation with young children happens through play.
While we play a favorite game that I let them choose, I am evaluating the following communication skills:
How they communicate their wants and needs (gestures, sounds, words).
How they understand language and follow directions during play.
How their “speech muscles” work when they smile, babble, or laugh.
How they interact with me or you to get their needs met.
I am here to hold space for your concerns.
An evaluation isn't just about testing the child; it is about supporting you. We are a team. We will sit down and chat about your child’s history, your daily routines, and your biggest concerns. You can tell me what frustrates you, what scares you, and what your biggest dreams are for your child. I want to know what make them unique and how we can support their joy of learning together.
We’ll partner to make a plan to help your child reach their potential.
I believe every parent is the expert on your child, and I am honored to be a trusted individual to play a small part in being your partner in supporting a child’s growth. If your child does need speech therapy, we will discuss what goals matter most to your family and is relevant and easy to integrate into your actual life. Don’t worry, I don’t believe in placing an additional burden on busy families to have extra homework to do. My home exercise plans are designed to be easily done in daily routines, such as while you’re grocery shopping with your child, picking them up from school, or cleaning the house.