What is an Allied Health Assessment?
- Posted by spectrum
- On February 23, 2024
- 0
You might have heard the term ‘assessment’ before in relation to allied health services, such as Speech pathology or Occupational Therapy, but what does an allied health assessment look like and why would you want one?
What is an assessment?
An allied health assessment typically involves gathering information about an individual’s strengths, areas of difficulties and current presentation through observations, specific activities and/or parent interviews. This information is then analysed and compiled into a report.
Assessments can also involve highly structured and specific assessments that are based on research and can be used to identify difficulties or to determine if the child’s skills are developing as expected for their age or at the same rate as their peers.
Why complete an assessment?
Assessments can be completed for a wide variety of reasons, such as:
- Screen for or diagnose difficulties
- Identify areas of strength
- Compare current skills to age-expectations
- Identify support required for upcoming transitions (such as starting preschool, school or employment).
- Identify goals for therapy or adjust current goals
- Track therapy progress
- Determine if there is need for ongoing therapy
- Apply for funding
What areas can be assessed?
Here are Spectrum Therapy Australia, our Speech Pathologists can assessment children of all ages in the following areas:
- Use and understanding of language
- Vocabulary
- Speech (sounds used to communicate)
- Literacy (pre-reading, reading, writing and spelling skills)
- Social communication
- Voice
- Swallowing/Feeding
Our Occupational Therapists at Spectrum Therapy Australia can assess the following areas:
- Sensory
- Self-cares (e.g., dressing, feeding, toileting, sleeping)
- Gross and fine motor
- Social skills
- Emotional regulation
- Cognitive skills and learning concepts (e.g., shapes, colours, numbers, alphabet)
- Executive functioning (e.g., problem solving, planning, memory, sequencing)
- Play skills
- Daily living skills (e.g., shopping, transport, community safety)
If you are interested in booking an assessment or finding out more information, please give our friendly administration team a call on 9686 2306.