Tests & Treatments at Children's Hospital Colorado

The Purpose of Evaluations

Your child and family will meet with pediatric specialists in the area of hearing, speech and learning at Children's Hospital Colorado. In most cases, you and your child will meet one-on-one with the specialist in the area of your concerns or pertaining specifically to your child's condition. In other cases, you and your child may meet with a team of pediatric specialists in audiology, speech and language pathology and/or learning services. The specialists will inquire about relevant family history or developmental delays and all of your specific concerns.  These specialists will spend time testing your child and answer any questions you may have about hearing, speech or learning.

How to Prepare for Evaluations

Hearing

There are a variety of diagnostic hearing tests that can be scheduled for children at Children's Hospital Colorado in the Department of Audiology Services. Each appointment is made depending on the referral, as well as the child's age and specific concerns. The scheduling staff at Children's Hospital Colorado will provide you with the information you need at the time of scheduling the appointment for your child.

Speech and Learning

Plan on spending 1½ - 2½ hours for most speech and language evaluations and up to 4 hours for learning evaluations at Children's Hospital Colorado. During this evaluation, you will meet with a specialist in speech and language and/or learning disorders. The assessment itself is individualized and may involve play-based or tabletop activities depending upon the age of your child and the type of evaluation scheduled. 

Following the evaluation, test results, observations and recommendations will be discussed with you.  Educational materials will also be provided at the time of the evaluation or included with the report when it is mailed to you.  You, of course, will have questions of your own that you'll want to ask during your visit.  We suggest you write your questions down ahead of time so you'll be sure to ask them all. You may also contact us after the evaluation to ask any additional questions that may come up following your visit.

How to Prepare Your Child

Hearing

The scheduling staff will explain the best way to prepare your child for his or her hearing appointment at the time of scheduling.

Speech and Learning

On the day of the evaluation be sure your child is well-rested and well-fed.  We have a variety of appointment times available and suggest that you choose one that does not interfere with your child's regular naptime.  For school-aged children, please choose an appointment time when they are most alert.

How you explain to your child why they are coming for an evaluation depends upon their age as well as their understanding of what is happening.  For a younger child, you can tell them that they are going to meet a friend who will talk and play with both of you.   For an older child, use clear, simple terms to describe your appointment such as:  "You are going to meet with a speech therapist to see how you are talking and/or learning". If you have any concerns about discussing the evaluation appointment with your child, please call us and we can help you.

After Your Child's Visit

You will receive a report about your child's visit to Children's Hospital Colorado. We will also send a report to your child's primary care provider so she or he can remain informed about the results of your child's evaluation as well as our recommended interventions.

Additional visits with hearing, speech and learning may be scheduled to complete further testing. You and your child may have the opportunity to enroll in a variety of therapy or parent education programs offered at Children's Hospital Colorado. These programs occur throughout the year and are designed to meet the various developmental ages and stages of your child and his or her needs.

Even if you don't enroll your child in any programs at Children's Hospital Colorado, you are welcome to visit the Family Health Library for general information about child development, parenting, and medical diagnoses in children.

Tests and Treatments

At Children's Hospital Colorado we offer a variety of programs that are designed to meet the needs of children in hearing, speech and learning. 

• Hearing services are scheduled on an on-going basis specific to your child's diagnosis and need.
  Speech and Learning services offers therapy programs which may include: individual speech and language and/or learning therapy, parent education groups, parent-infant or parent-toddler group, social skills, feeding and other specialized programs.

Therapy

On the first visit, it is important to us that we spend time understanding your concerns, reviewing evaluation results and getting to know your child. Within a few therapy visits, a treatment plan will be written with your input.  The treatment plan serves as a guide to what you and your child's therapist feel will be the focus of the ongoing services provided.  Periodic progress reports will also be provided.  You are strongly encouraged to be a part of your child's treatment program, either through active participation in the therapy sessions, or observing through an observation window.

Evaluations

Auditory Brainstem Evoked Response (ABR)
Auditory Processing Evaluation/Consultation
Augmentative Communication Evaluation
Cleft Palate Evaluation/Consultation
Clinical Social Work Consultation
Cochlear Implant Consultation
Deaf and/or Hard-Of-Hearing Consultation 
Diagnostic Speech and Language Evaluation
Diagnostic Learning Neuroperceptual Evaluation
Family Consultant Meeting
Feeding Evaluation/Consultation
Hearing Aid Consultation 
Hearing Clinic Team Evaluation
Newborn Hearing Evaluation
Outpatient Audiology New Patient Visit
Outpatient Audiology Follow-Up Patient Visit
Voice/Vocal Cord Dysfunction  Evaluation

Treatments

Augmentative Communication Services
Cochlear Implant Services/Management
Deaf and/or Hard-Of-Hearing Intervention
Dual and Group Speech-Language Therapy
Hearing Aid Services/Management
Individual/Dual/Group Speech-Language Therapy
Individual/Dual/Group Learning Therapy
Individual/Dual/Group Feeding Therapy