Screening
A screening is generally a short process used to identify whether a more comprehensive assessment or another referral may be useful. It does not provide the depth of a full evaluation.
Assessment
Speech-language evaluations for children and adults
A comprehensive evaluation connects formal measures, observation, history, functional participation, and the questions that brought you to care.
Evaluation Snapshot
An evaluation answers more than whether a difficulty is present
The goal is to understand strengths, needs, functional impact, contributing context, and the most useful next step.
- Screening
- A brief check that may indicate a need for assessment or referral
- Evaluation
- A comprehensive examination of strengths, needs, and participation
- Measures
- Standardized tools, informal tasks, observation, interview, and history
- Outcome
- Clear findings and individualized recommendations
Know the Difference
Screening identifies a question, evaluation investigates it
Evaluation
An evaluation examines relevant communication, cognition, feeding, or swallowing functions along with activity, participation, history, environmental barriers, and individual priorities.
Possible Assessment Areas
Selected around the referral question
Not every evaluation includes every area. Tools and tasks are chosen according to age, history, communication access, goals, and clinical need.
Speech
Speech sound production, motor speech, intelligibility, fluency, resonance, or voice depending on the concern.
Language
Understanding and expressing ideas, vocabulary, grammar, narratives, reading or writing demands, and functional communication.
Social communication
Using and understanding communication across conversations, relationships, school, work, and community settings.
Cognitive communication
Attention, memory, organization, reasoning, problem solving, and executive functioning as they affect communication.
Feeding and swallowing
Safety, efficiency, motor and sensory factors, mealtime participation, and whether medical coordination is needed.
Communication access
AAC needs, environmental supports, communication partners, technology, hearing considerations, and participation barriers.
What to Expect
From the first question to useful next steps
Clarify the referral question
Discuss what is happening, when it began, where it matters most, prior services, health or school context, and what you hope will change.
Gather meaningful evidence
Use appropriate standardized measures, informal tasks, interview, observation, and functional examples to understand strengths and needs.
Explain findings and recommendations
Connect the results to daily life and discuss whether therapy, strategies, monitoring, collaboration, or another referral is the most useful next step.
Evaluation FAQs
Common questions
Is a screening the same as a speech-language evaluation?
No. A screening is a brief process used to identify whether further assessment or referral may be helpful. A comprehensive evaluation examines strengths, needs, participation, and functional impact in greater depth.
What can a speech-language evaluation assess?
Depending on the referral question, an evaluation may examine speech sounds, language, fluency, voice, social communication, cognitive communication, feeding, swallowing, or use of augmentative and alternative communication.
Will every evaluation use the same tests?
No. Assessment tools and informal measures are selected for the person's age, history, communication needs, access needs, goals, and reason for referral.
What happens after the evaluation?
Findings are explained in practical language and used to recommend next steps. That may include therapy, strategies, monitoring, collaboration, or referral to another professional.
Start with the question that brought you here
Share the communication, feeding, swallowing, learning, or cognitive concern. Care to Speak will help determine the most useful evaluation or referral.