Guidelines for Referral
Speech - refer if the child
- is difficult for familiar persons to understand at age 3
- is difficult for unfamiliar persons to understand at age 4
- has many sound errors
- seems to mumble
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Language - refer if the child
- does not respond to words by age 1
- uses no words by 18 months
- uses no word combinations by age 2
- does not communicate in play by age 4
- does not speak in complete sentences by age 4
- makes grammar errors in speaking after age 5
- has a limited vocabulary for his/her age
- has trouble relating events, giving specific explanations, or generally getting the message across
- has difficulty following oral directions, or needs directions repeated often
- has difficulty with listening skills
- has trouble interpreting the meaning of verbal information
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Voice - refer if the child
- sounds hoarse or breathy
- sounds nasal (like air is coming out of nose) or denasal (like he/she has a cold) most of the time
- is inappropriately loud or soft
- has an abnormally high or low pitched voice
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Fluency - refer if the child
- repeats words or parts of words
- frequently hesitates or prolongs sounds when speaking
- struggles to get words out
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Reading/Spelling - refer if the child
- has or previously had difficulty with pre-reading skills like rhyming, identifying beginning sounds, etc.
- has trouble reading sight words or sounding out unfamiliar words
- has trouble with reading comprehension
- misspells many words in written work, even if words are correct on spelling tests
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