Speech and language assessment
Areas of support may include
- Helping to identify and express feelings and regulating emotions
- Flexible v stuck thinking
- making connections, making or maintaining friendships (romantic or platonic)
- Understanding and inferring social knowledge in real life or via written text
- Input into school newsletter and website
Speech and language therapy
- Speech sound delay/disorder
- Developmental language disorder
- Difficulties with expressive and receptive language skills
- Children, young people and young adults who may present with differences with social communication and social interaction
- Input into school newsletter and website
Areas of support may include
- If you have any professional reports from other specialists, or school reports, please send copies of them beforehand, or bring them with you. Professionals or schools will not be contacted without your permission.
- If your child is pre -school age, please explain they are going to play as this puts less pressure on the child to speak during the assessment session. If a child is primary school age, you may explain they are going to do some speaking and listening activities. If they are secondary school age or older, please explain they are going to see a speech and language therapist to talk about what they may find difficult and to do some speaking and listening activities. It is advised not to mention that it is an assessment or test.
- Following assessment, therapy options may then be discussed and jointly agreed with parents or caregivers. Typically individual sessions are offered, however small group therapy focusing on social thinking may be an option.
- Children may be seen at clinic while visits may be available to a select few schools or nurseries in SW/West London known to the team. Associates may be able to offer evening home visits within SW/West London.
- A wide range of evidence based and eclectic therapy approaches are used which are sharing during therapy. Specific goals, review of progress and outcomes of goals are regularly used throughout the therapy process. Communication and behavioural parenting coaching is also available when children are not ready to engage directly with the therapist.
Speech and language assessment
For initial appointments, the therapist will meet with the parent or caregiver at the beginning of the session-the child may join depending on their age. The therapist will then complete assessment with the child. This may involve playing with the child and/or using picture based tools. Parents may sit in on the session; with older students, the student may have a choice whether their parent sits in to observe.
A visit to another setting such as nursery, school or home may be needed as part of this assessment. Liaison with other professionals may also form part of the assessment process.
Following all assessment, verbal feedback will be given following the session. A written report will be completed within 2 weeks and sent directly to parents and referrer if applicable.
Therapy recommendations are discussed following initial assessment. Regular sessions may be offered at the clinic in Hammermsith. Home/school/nursery visits may be carried out in some areas of South West/West London.