What happens during a speech therapy evaluation?

A Parent’s Guide

By: Chloe Henn

If you’re wondering whether your child might benefit from speech therapy, you’re not alone. Many parents notice things like unclear speech, fewer words than expected, or difficulty understanding directions and begin to wonder:

Should I get my child evaluated?

Taking that first step can feel intimidating, but a speech and language evaluation is simply a way to better understand how your child communicates. It’s not a test your child can pass or fail.

Instead, it helps us learn about your child’s communication strengths, areas where they may need support, and how we can help them grow.

Early support can make a big difference. When speech and language challenges are addressed early, children often gain confidence and communication skills during the most important stages of development.

Signs Your Child May Benefit from a Speech Evaluation

Parents often reach out when they notice things like:

• Their child isn’t talking as much as other children their age
• Words are difficult to understand
• Their child gets frustrated trying to communicate
• Difficulty following directions
• Trouble answering questions
• Limited social interaction or conversation skills

If you’re noticing any of these things, a speech evaluation can provide helpful answers and guidance.

And sometimes, the outcome is simply reassurance that your child is developing right on track.

How to Schedule a Speech Therapy Evaluation

Getting started with Simply Spoken Therapy is easy.

You can:

✔ Visit our website and fill out the contact form
✔ Call our clinic directly
✔ Send us an email to request an appointment

You’ll receive intake paperwork through our secure SimplePractice portal, and once thats completed your evaluation will be scheduled.

This paperwork helps your clinician understand:

• Your concerns about your child’s communication
• Your child’s developmental history
• Any previous evaluations or services

Having this information ahead of time allows us to choose the best evaluation approach for your child.

Some children benefit from formal testing, while others are evaluated through play-based observation and interaction.

Does Insurance Cover Speech Therapy Evaluations?

Before your appointment, our team will verify your insurance benefits and explain your coverage.

Simply Spoken Therapy is currently in-network with:

• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• United Healthcare
• UMR
• Cigna

Insurance coverage varies widely between policies, so we always verify benefits ahead of time so families know what to expect.

For families choosing private pay, we offer discounted cash rates:

• Speech Evaluation: $220
• Speech Therapy Session: $84

Our administrative team is happy to answer any questions about coverage or payment options.

What to Expect During Your Child’s Speech Evaluation

Your child’s evaluation will take place at our clinic and lasts about one hour with a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP).

Parents are encouraged to participate in the evaluation so we can discuss:

• Your concerns and observations
• Your child’s communication strengths
• Your goals for therapy

During the evaluation, your child may participate in a variety of activities designed to feel comfortable and engaging.

These may include:

• Play-based interaction
• Looking at pictures or books
• Listening and following directions
• Conversational interaction

Our clinicians observe many areas of communication, including:

• Speech sound development
• Expressive language (how your child communicates)
• Receptive language (how your child understands language)
• Social communication skills
• Play skills and attention

The goal is to get a complete picture of how your child communicates.

What Happens After the Evaluation?

At the end of your appointment, your speech-language pathologist will share their initial observations and recommendations.

If therapy is recommended, we’ll work together to schedule ongoing sessions that fit your family’s schedule.

Your clinician will then prepare:

• A detailed evaluation report
• A personalized plan of care
• Individual therapy goals for your child

The first therapy session is typically scheduled about two weeks after the evaluation while the clinician completes documentation and treatment planning.

Throughout therapy, progress is monitored through:

• Six-month progress updates
• Annual re-evaluations

This helps ensure your child continues to make meaningful progress.

Our Goal: Helping Children Communicate with Confidence

At Simply Spoken Therapy, our goal is simple: help children communicate in ways that allow them to connect, learn, and feel confident in their world.

A speech and language evaluation is just the beginning of understanding your child’s unique communication style and finding ways to support their growth.

And we promise—therapy should always include learning, laughter, and plenty of play along the way.

Ready to Take the First Step?

If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, we’d love to help.

Early support can make a meaningful difference, and our team is here to guide your family every step of the way.

👉 Schedule your child’s speech evaluation today:
www.simplyspokentherapy.com/contact

Or call our clinic to speak with a member of our team.

We look forward to meeting you and your child.