Developmental Delay Therapy in Westlake Village
Speech and occupational therapy for children who are reaching skills later than most, from two licensed therapists in one practice.
During business hours, we return calls within an hour.
- Free 15-minute call
- No referral needed
- No waiting list
- Ages
- Birth to 18
- Where
- Your home, school, a private clinic on request, or telehealth anywhere in California. Our Westlake Village clinic opens December 1, 2026.
- How soon
- No waiting list as of October 2026. Evaluations are scheduled within 3 business days of your free consultation.
Somebody said the word "delay" out loud. Maybe it was a pediatrician at a checkup, a preschool teacher, or a grandparent comparing your child with a cousin. A developmental delay means a child is reaching a skill later than most children their age. It describes timing. It is not a diagnosis, and it is not a prediction. Developmental delay therapy works on the skills that are behind, like talking, using the hands, or daily routines. No diagnosis or referral is needed.
What does a developmental delay mean?
A delay means a skill has not arrived yet. It does not say why, and it does not say whether the gap will close on its own. Those are separate questions, and answering them takes a look at your child.
The CDC defines a milestone as something most children, 75% or more, can do by a certain age. So if a child has not reached one yet, a closer look is reasonable.
Children are rarely behind evenly. A three-year-old might talk like a two-year-old and draw like a four-year-old. That is why a good plan targets specific skills, not a single label.
We do not diagnose conditions such as autism or ADHD. Our evaluations show which skills need support. If a child loses skills they once had, or there is any concern about hearing or vision, that goes to your pediatrician first.
What can developmental delay therapy help with?
Between speech and occupational therapy, we cover much of what parents mean when they say "delay," but not all of it.
- CommunicationUnderstanding language, using words, saying sounds clearly, and talking with others.
- Hands and movementPencils, scissors, buttons, balance, and coordination.
- Sensory and regulationHandling sound, touch, and movement, and settling after a big feeling.
- Daily livingDressing, mealtimes, routines, and moving between activities.
Outside our scope are applied behavior analysis (ABA), behavioral therapy, counseling or mental health treatment, physical therapy, and nutrition therapy. If your child needs one of these, we will tell you and help you find a referral.
What signs are worth a closer look?
No list replaces knowing your own child. Use these as prompts for a conversation. The first four come from the CDC's milestone checklists.
- By 18 monthsNot yet trying three or more words besides "mama" or "dada."
- By 2 yearsNot putting two words together, like "More milk."
- By 3 yearsNot yet talking back and forth in a short conversation.
- By 4 yearsNot yet saying sentences of four or more words.
- PreschoolAvoiding drawing or scissors, falling often, or needing much more help dressing than peers.
- School ageSlow, tiring handwriting, or trouble following multi-step directions.
How does Early Start work for children under 3?
Early Start is California's early intervention program for infants and toddlers from birth to age 3. A child may qualify with a delay of 25% or more in one or more areas of development, according to the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS).
- No cost to startThere is no charge for evaluation, assessment, or service coordination.
- Not based on incomeEligibility does not depend on family income or immigration status.
- Anyone can referParents, doctors, and child care providers can all make a referral.
- 45 daysWithin 45 days of the referral, the assessments are done and, if your child qualifies, a plan is written.
Therapy Clubhouse is a provider for Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC), which serves families on the Ventura County side of Westlake Village. On the Los Angeles County side, tell us your address and we will help you confirm which regional center covers you.
Early Start ends at the third birthday. About 90 days before, families and their service coordinator make a transition plan, which may include special education services through the local school district. School services and private therapy can be used together.
Can my child get speech and occupational therapy in one place?
Yes. Both happen here, in one practice, and your child's therapists plan together.
Some children need both speech and occupational therapy. When they do, both happen here.
When a child works with both of our therapists, they talk with each other and with you about what they are seeing. Together, they build one shared treatment plan, so all of your child's goals fit together.
Needs can overlap. For example, a child may work on words and on the mouth muscles (myofunctional therapy) with our speech-language pathologist. The same child may work on sensory needs, like handling a loud, busy room, with our occupational therapist.
What happens when you start developmental delay therapy?
It starts with a free 15-minute consultation. If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days. The written report follows within 14 business days, with a treatment plan if therapy is recommended.
Free 15-minute consultation
You talk with a licensed therapist about what you are noticing at home and at school. If we don't think an evaluation is needed yet, we will say so.
Evaluation within 3 business days
If an evaluation is the right next step, it is scheduled within 3 business days of your consultation. It is a play-based look at the skills you are worried about, and you are part of it. It usually takes 60 to 90 minutes.
Written report and recommendation
Within 14 business days, you get the written evaluation, and a clear treatment plan if therapy is recommended. The plan sets graduation goals: the skills that show a child is ready to finish therapy.
Parent coaching
Your plan includes parent coaching. You learn how to build your child's goals into meals, play, and bedtime.
Sessions
Sessions look like play with a purpose and run 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the service.
Who would my child work with?
Therapy Clubhouse is led by its two co-founders, a licensed speech-language pathologist and a licensed occupational therapist.
Speech therapy for late talkers, speech sounds, stuttering, and myofunctional therapy.
Occupational therapy for handwriting, sensory needs, feeding, and everyday skills.
How much does developmental delay therapy cost, and can I use insurance?
Coverage depends on your plan. You can use your insurance through our partner, Village, which handles the billing. Village accepts PPO plans from several major insurers, and TRICARE.
Village also charges its own fee for each visit, in addition to your copay or deductible. Before therapy starts, Village goes over the expected cost with you.
We are waiting to become in network with major insurance companies. Until then, Village is how insurance works with us.
You can also pay privately, and we give you a superbill to send to your plan for possible out-of-network reimbursement. On the free 15-minute call, we check your coverage before you commit to anything.
What else do parents ask about developmental delays?
What counts as a developmental delay in California?
For Early Start, which covers children under 3, a child may qualify with a delay of 25% or more in one or more areas: thinking, understanding language, using language, social or emotional, self-care, or physical and motor development, including vision and hearing.
Does Early Start cost anything?
There is no charge for evaluation, assessment, or service coordination, and eligibility is not based on family income. Families may need to use their insurance for ongoing therapy. A child's or parent's immigration status does not affect eligibility.
Will my child outgrow a delay?
Some children do and some don't, and no one can tell you with certainty which group your child is in. That uncertainty is the reason to take a look now rather than guess.
Is a developmental delay the same as autism?
No. A delay describes timing on specific skills. Autism is a diagnosis made by a physician or psychologist. Some autistic children have delays, and many children with delays are not autistic. We work on the skills either way, and we do not diagnose.
Do we need private therapy if the school provides services?
Many families use both. School services are scoped to what a child needs for school. Private therapy can target other goals, in your home, where daily routines happen.
Is the free call the same as an evaluation?
No. The free 15-minute call answers your questions and points you to the right next step. It is not an evaluation. If therapy looks like a fit, the evaluation comes next.
Which school district and regional center serve Westlake Village?
Westlake Village sits on a county line. The Los Angeles County side is served by Las Virgenes Unified School District, and the Ventura County side by Conejo Valley Unified School District. For children under 3, the regional center depends on the county. Families on the Ventura County side fall under Tri-Counties Regional Center, where we are a provider. On the Los Angeles County side, tell us your address and we'll help you confirm which regional center covers you.
What areas do you serve?
We provide developmental delay therapy for families in Westlake Village and nearby towns. These include Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Oak Park, Newbury Park, Calabasas, Moorpark, and Simi Valley. Telehealth is available anywhere in California.Thousand OaksAgoura HillsOak ParkNewbury ParkCalabasasMoorparkSimi ValleyAll locations
“If you're concerned about your child's development, don't wait. You know your child best.”
About 1 in 6 children aged 3 through 17 years have one or more developmental disabilities. (CDC)
We build every child's plan and goals around one aim: graduating from speech or occupational therapy. That is our goal with every child.
If someone has used the word "delay" about your child and you are not sure what to do next, that is exactly the right moment to talk. Tell us a little more about what you're worried about. Let's talk about it.
Request your free 15-minute consultation
Tell us what you are noticing about your child. A licensed therapist reads every message, not an assistant, and replies within one business day. The consultation is free, lasts about 15 minutes, and carries no obligation. There is no waiting list. If you would rather talk now, call (805) 702-3427.
