Making the decision to schedule a therapy evaluation for your child is a significant step, often filled with a mix of hope and apprehension. You’re hopeful for answers and support, but you may also feel anxious about what the process involves. What will they do? What will they ask? How will my child react? These feelings are completely normal.

The good news is that the first visit is designed to be a positive, low-stress experience for both you and your child. This guide will walk you through the entire process, from your initial phone call to the first session, so you know exactly what to expect and can feel confident and prepared as you take this important step.

Step 1: The First Phone Call

Your journey begins with a conversation. When you first call, you’ll speak with a care coordinator whose main goal is to understand your concerns and gather the necessary information to ensure your child is matched with the right therapist.

During this call, you can expect to discuss:

• Your primary concerns: What have you been noticing that led you to call? Be open and specific. Whether it’s struggles with handwriting, frequent tantrums, picky eating, or a speech delay, this information is the crucial starting point.
• Your child’s developmental history: The coordinator may ask about when your child reached major milestones (like crawling and walking), any previous diagnoses, and relevant medical history.
• Logistical information: You’ll also cover practical details like your insurance information and scheduling availability.

This initial conversation is the foundation for the entire process, ensuring that when you arrive for your evaluation, the therapist already has a solid understanding of your family’s needs.

Step 2: The Evaluation – A Closer Look

The evaluation is the most important part of your first visit. This is where the therapist gets to know your child and assesses their strengths and challenges. The entire process is designed to feel like play, not a test, to ensure your child is comfortable and can show their true abilities. An evaluation typically lasts between one and two hours.

The Parent Interview

The session will begin with the therapist speaking with you privately. This is your opportunity to share your observations, concerns, and goals in detail. The therapist will ask questions about your child’s daily routines, what frustrates them, what they enjoy, and how their challenges impact your family life. This parent-therapist collaboration is essential for creating a successful and individualized treatment plan.

The “Play” Session

After speaking with you, the therapist will engage your child in a series of play-based activities. To your child, it will feel like a fun new playroom. To the therapist, each activity is a carefully chosen assessment tool.

• For an Occupational Therapy (OT) evaluation: The therapist might use activities like stacking blocks, stringing beads, completing puzzles, swinging, or navigating an obstacle course. These games allow the therapist to assess fine motor skills, sensory processing, coordination, and motor planning.
• For a Physical Therapy (PT) evaluation: The session may involve games like “animal walks” (like bear crawls or frog hops), playing catch with a ball, or walking on a line on the floor like a balance beam. These activities help the therapist evaluate gross motor skills, balance, strength, and coordination.
• For a Speech Therapy evaluation: The therapist will use toys, books, and games to observe your child’s communication skills in a natural setting. They will be looking at your child’s ability to understand language (receptive language), express themselves (expressive language), and the clarity of their speech (articulation).
• For a Feeding Therapy evaluation: The therapist will create a relaxed, playful environment to observe how your child interacts with food. This may involve sensory play with different food textures before any eating is even attempted. The goal is to understand the root cause of the feeding challenges, whether they are sensory, oral-motor, or behavioral.

Throughout the evaluation, the therapist is observing not just if a child can do a task, but how they do it. They are looking at their problem-solving skills, frustration tolerance, and how they regulate their body and emotions.

Step 3: The Plan – What Happens Next

At the end of the evaluation, the therapist will share their initial findings with you. They will discuss your child’s strengths and the areas where they may need support. Based on these observations, they will provide a recommendation.

If therapy is recommended, the next steps include:

• Developing a Treatment Plan: The therapist will create a formal plan with specific, measurable goals tailored to your child. These goals will be directly related to the concerns you discussed (e.g., “Child will be able to button a shirt independently,” or “Child will use 3-word phrases to make requests”).
• Determining Frequency: The therapist will recommend how often your child should attend therapy, which is typically one or two sessions per week.

Step 4: The First Therapy Session and Your Role as a Partner

Your child’s first official therapy session will pick up right where the evaluation left off, using the same fun, play-based approach to start working toward their goals.

It’s important to remember that therapy is a partnership. The progress a child makes is significantly boosted when skills are practiced at home. Your therapist will act as your coach, providing you with simple activities and strategies to incorporate into your daily routines. This ensures that the work continues between sessions, making you an active and essential part of your child’s success.

Taking the first step toward therapy can feel daunting, but it is a proactive and positive move to give your child the tools they need to thrive. Your first visit is not a test, but the beginning of a supportive relationship dedicated to helping your child build confidence and independence.