Need a speech eval for 3.5 yo. Where to start?

[Bella Catalina]

Can anyone in Cali (or elsewhere) point me in the right direction?

We don't have health insurance, or a current pedi--the last one we saw was 6 months ago at his 3yo check up and I wasn't very impressed, not to mention she wasn't concerned with his speech. I was hoping it would improve on its own, but even working with him, it hasn't, and now I wish I'd pushed her for a referral instead of giving him more time. He talks a lot, but his speech is unclear and very difficult to understand. I figured out he has initial consonant deletion, though he can make those sounds for other words. He can say mama and moo, for example, but milk comes out as elk, and no as oh.

I know he's too old for Early Start/EI and I have looked around online but have no idea what comes after that, let alone who to contact or how to pursue it. He's not in preschool, or I'd ask there. Help. Please?

[stevensmom]

Check your school district. Ours screens 3 year olds on up and provides services for them through the schools.

**I do know how to spell...my iPod on the other hand does not**

[MDever]

Call your local school district. They will have an Early Intervention program that provides evaluations and services. They get federal funding so there is no charge. If you pm me the county you live in I will find the number for you

[yogamama28]

Yep, call your local school district. I am a speech pathologist and work with our districts 3-5 year old kiddos. Start with the district office and they'll be able to direct you to the right person. They will probably do a screening first (we do play-based screenings monthly) and bring him back for an evaluation if warranted. PP is correct; there's no charge for any of this. If the evaluation shows a delay in speech that could "impede his education" then the district is required to provide services at no charge to you.

[mibarra]

Yup, the local school district receives funding for kids age 3-5 who need special services. Call the main office of your school district and explain you want your 3 year old evaluated, and they should know where to direct you.

[ktmelody]

Yup. Call the district. Here it is called child find. They deal with speech, OT and services for autism in the 3-5 range.

[pcjs]

School district or private pay if you can afford it (which is what we were doing but I think I finally found someone to take the insurance). Here it is about $60-80 for 30 minutes. You can also check with your local colleges if they have a speech pathology program. Ours has discounted sessions with the students - they also have a preschool that is reasonably priced (well, for around here anyway) that we may try to get into.

You could also apply for medical assistance and see if they'd cover it.

[iris0110]

Originally Posted by pcjs School district or private pay if you can afford it (which is what we were doing but I think I finally found someone to take the insurance). Here it is about $60-80 for 30 minutes. You can also check with your local colleges if they have a speech pathology program. Ours has discounted sessions with the students - they also have a preschool that is reasonably priced (well, for around here anyway) that we may try to get into. You could also apply for medical assistance and see if they'd cover it.

This is what was recommended to us when Kearnan aged out of ECI. I hated the school district but while we live relatively close to a college campus with an SLP program we aren't that close. If you are close it is definitely worth checking out as frequently their programs will be better than what the school will offer and it will often be cheap or free.

[Bella Catalina]

Thank you mamas so much. I will call in the morning and hope I don't have to wait until the fall

[Docs Wife]

My 3 and 4 yr olds just went and did their evals through the school district this morning. I know here they try and do them over the summer so they are ready to go when school starts.