Pediatric Speech Therapy

Speech and Language Evaluations

If you're not sure whether your child's speech or language is on track, an evaluation is the clearest way to find out. We assess how your child understands language, uses words and sentences, and produces speech sounds, then translate the results into a plain-language explanation and, if needed, a therapy plan.

Most parents don't arrive with a checklist. They arrive with a feeling: a teacher mentioned something at pickup, a grandparent can't follow what your child is saying, or your child seems to understand less than their friends do. An evaluation turns that feeling into a clear answer, one way or the other.

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AGES

Birth to 18 years

SESSIONS

60-90 minute evaluation

FORMAT

In-clinic or telepractice

How many words should my child say?

Vocabulary Milestones

Expressive vocabulary size by age, broken down by milestone, average, and above average development:

AGE
MILESTONE
AVERAGE
ABOVE AVERAGE
12 months
1 word
5+ words
14+ words
18 months
10 words
50+ words
170+ words
24 months
50 words
300+ words & combining 2 words
441+ words
36 months
250 words
1000+ words & combining 3 words
Norms not available

Milestone: what most children do (approx 90%)
Average: what 50% of children are able to do at a certain age
Above Average: what 25% of children are able to do at a certain age

General guidance only — every child develops differently. An evaluation gives you an answer specific to your child.

What to look for

Signs Your Child May Benefit

Vocabulary that lags noticeably behind same-age peers is one of the most common reasons parents seek an evaluation.

Difficulty understanding multi-step instructions can point to a receptive language delay.

If unfamiliar listeners struggle to understand your child past age 3, it's worth a closer look.

Meltdowns or shutting down mid-sentence often mean your child knows what they want to say but can't get there.

If the difference between your child and their peers feels like it's growing rather than closing, that's worth acting on.

Our process

What to Expect

1

A one-on-one assessment session using age-appropriate tasks and play

2

Standardized testing plus real-world observation

3

A results conversation with clear next steps, whether that's therapy or simply reassurance

Between sessions

How You Can Help at Home

  • • Narrate your day out loud, even simple routines like cooking or driving.
  • • Follow your child's lead in play and add words to what they're already doing.
  • • Read together daily, pausing to ask simple questions about the pictures.

Frequently asked

Common Questions

A full evaluation combines several pieces: a parent interview to understand your concerns and your child's history, formal standardized testing that compares your child to same-age peers, informal assessment through play-based tasks and conversation, and clinical observation of how your child communicates in a natural setting. We then interpret all of that together, rather than relying on a single test score, and deliver a written report with clear findings and recommendations, along with time to walk through the results with you and answer questions.

Most evaluations run 60-90 minutes depending on your child's age and the areas being assessed.

Yes, you'll receive a full written report you can share with your pediatrician or school.

That's a genuinely good outcome — you'll leave with real reassurance instead of ongoing uncertainty.

Appointments

Get clarity on your child's communication.

Serving families in Calabasas · Agoura Hills · Woodland Hills · West Hills · Westlake Village · Tarzana · Encino · Malibu · Simi Valley · Thousand Oaks · Moorpark

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