Skype assessment

A Skype assessment is an assessment which is carried out by one of our speech and language therapists online over a Skype session. This allows a method of assessment that is accessible for everyone. If a home, school or clinic visit is not suitable for you, a Skype assessment may be appropriate to assess the needs and communication abilities of your child.

A skype assessment will provide benefits for anyone that is unable to attend a home, school or clinic visit but requires an assessment for their child with speech, language and communication difficulties. It will allow discussions between parents and speech and language therapists at a time to suit you within a busy schedule.

Find out more…

• What will the Skype assessment assess?
• Why is a Skype assessment needed?
• Typical conditions that require a Skype assessment
• What information will I receive following a Skype assessment?
• Treatment following a Skype assessment
• Summary

The Skype assessment will be tailored to the needs of your child and will cover any concerns you may have. Many different aspects of speech, language, communication and voice difficulties can be assessed over Skype and swallowing difficulties can be discussed. For those assessments that require the speech and language therapist to see the child in person e.g. swallowing and social communication, part of the assessment process can be done over Skype, such as a detailed case history and discussion with parents. This will reduce the time of the actual assessment and may be more convenient for you if you are unable to bring your child to clinic.

A Skype assessment may be needed when a parent is unable to bring their child to clinic or a home and school visit is unsuitable for them. It may also be beneficial for children who are seen in schools, assessment information can therefore be gathered from educational staff as well as parents so that the speech and language therapist can gather a more holistic view of the child's communication abilities.

The appropriacy of a Skype assessment is assessed dependent on each individual child, their condition and their difficulties. A Skype assessment may not be appropriate for everyone but can be highly beneficial and useful for some children.

A Skype assessment will not be appropriate for children with social communication difficulties, swallowing difficulties or neurological conditions that may affect attention and listening. It will be more useful to assess these children in person due to the type of difficulty. Skype may be inappropriate for families with limited internet connection or limited knowledge on the use of Skype. However, the appropriacy of a Skype assessment will be discussed on a case by case basis in order to provide an assessment option appropriate for you.

After your Skype assessment, the speech and language therapist will write a detailed report regarding their findings. This may include strategies and advice that may be useful for your child or different treatment options that may be available to you. A follow up phone call or Skype session can be made for you to discuss your management options following the assessment.

If the speech and language therapist thinks that they have not gathered enough information from the Skype assessment, you may be invited to a further Skype assessment or you may be asked to attend clinic or home visits.

SLT for Kids offers a wide range of treatment options for many different speech, language, communication, voice and swallowing difficulties. An appropriate treatment option will be offered to you and your child dependent on the findings of their assessments. All of our treatment is tailored to the child and aims to reach their goals. Some of our treatment options will be available as Skype therapy if this is more appropriate for you than home, clinic or school visits. However, not all of our treatment options will be available as Skype therapy, this will be discussed on a case by case basis.

Skype assessment will involve a speech and language therapist contacting you online over Skype in order to complete an assessment of speech, language, communication or voice. Skype assessment is highly beneficial for anyone who cannot make it to clinic or find that a home or school visit is inappropriate. Each child will be discussed on a case by case basis as to whether a Skype assessment is appropriate for them. If you would like to know anymore information on our Skype assessment or would like to book an assessment, please do not hesitate to contact us on office@sltforkids.co.uk or call 0330 088 2298.