The Speech Clinic

Assessments

At The Speech and Hearing Clinic, experienced Speech Language Pathologists assess children from the age of 1.5 years and onwards.

The areas that are assessed are:

Receptive language (understanding)
Expressive language
Communication
Play skills
Articulation
Oral motor skills

We make use of different assessment tools according to the childs age and needs. Our Speech Language Pathologists welcome the children with a smile and in a playful manner so as to assist with motivation and participation.

What does the assessment include at The Speech and Hearing Clinic?

We start the assessment process with a telephone conversation so as to understand what is the reason for the assessment. An appointment will be made with the Speech Language Pathologist. You have questions and concers, and we are here to provide answers or recommendations for what is necessary. It is important that parents understand that they are an integral part of the assessment and therapy process. A parent meeting will be arranged in order to obtain all the necessary information. After the assessment is administered, the Speech Language Pathologist will be able to confirm whether therapy is necessary and if so, what therapy goals will be targeted.

When does one need to go for a Speech Language Assessment?

1

If your child is not developing according to what is expected of their ageRead our blog on Speech and Language Development for a guideline of what to expect in the early years. If you feel that there are certain areas of difficulty, it is recommended to talk to your developmental doctor/paediatrician and or with a Speech Language Pathologist.

2

If there is a cause for concern, trust your gut and have your child assessed. That is what professionals are there for – to raise your concerns and get the answers that you are looking for. In the event that there was no need for therapy, you can set your mind at ease. In the case that there is a need for therapy, you can start your therapy process as necessary.

3

If a professional or doctor makes a referral – from Tipat Halav, a doctor or ganenet (kindergarten teacher) recommends you seek help, then look into having an assessment. Furthermore, family members or close friends often recommend going to see a Speech Language Therapist, trust your gut, and if there is reason for concern, rather have the assessment and get the answers that you are looking for.

The Speech and Hearing Clinic treat the following:

Many of the parents who call us to inquire about the need for diagnosis or treatment by a speech therapist describe situations in their own words:

Minimal babbling
Few first words or delayed onset of first words
“Stuck” in the first word stage and are not beginning to put words together
Difficulty with making eye contact
Not answering to their name when called
Communication difficulties

Word finding difficulties
Unintelligible speech – difficult to understand what they are saying
“Swallow their words”
Only parents understand them
The child understands everything but is not able to express themselves
Articulation errors – e.g. lisp

We treat the following:

Speech and
language delays

Communication disorders
(Autism Spectrum Disorder)

Language disorders

Apraxia of speech

Oral motor difficulties

Articulation errors

Therapy

After having had an assessment and in the event that therapy was recommended, an appointment can be made. Therapy is a weekly meeting of between 30-45 minutes (depending on the age of the child) and you will have a set day and time for your weekly sessions. When working with children and the paediatric population, parent involvement and parent training is essential. We need to pass on our knowledge and make our therapy goals known so as for you, the parents, to continue what we do in the therapy sessions at home.

Early childhood treatments:

Early intervention speech and language therapy that is provided at בית האוזן והשפה serves the following:

Developmental delays
Speech and Language Delays
Syndromes
Communication difficulties
Delays based on hearing loss

Treatments for preschool and school-age children

Speech and Language Therapy for kindergarten and school aged children serves the following:

Understanding difficulties

Expressive difficulties

Word finding difficulties

Poor vocabulary

Bilingualism

Reduced speech intelligibility

Dyspraxia

Communication difficulties

Articulation errors

Our Therapy Approach

As Speech Language Pathologists, we meet many families that come to us for many different reasons. An integral part of our therapy process is the communication with parents. There is a therapeutic triangle that includes us – The Speech Language Pathologists, you – the parents, and the child. In order for therapy to be effective and for you to see carry over of what is done in the sessions, into the childs day to day life – we need your involvement and that includes training the parents and understanding the therapy goals. We work in a natural-developmental approach, with the focus that children learn best through play and through curiosity and thus following their lead is most motivating for them. We continue to enrich ourselves and our knowledge base so as to be updated with the most recent research and therapy approaches.