Pediatric speech evaluation in Burbank, and your Burbank Unified options

We visit homes in Burbank, and a video call works too. Call first (it's free and takes 15 minutes), and an evaluation follows within 3 business days if the call points to one.

You can choose your home, a video call, a school, or a private office in Westlake Village. A school visit has two requirements: the school agrees, and a parent gives written consent. The private office is on Townsgate Road and is available on request.

An evaluation runs about 60 to 90 minutes. Age and the areas covered change the length. To hear from a therapist first, ask for a free 15-minute consultation.

First the therapist listens to your concerns and your child's history, from birth and ear infections to milestones. Then she plays with your child, using tests chosen for your child's age.

During play, she might notice if a child follows a direction. She might also see whether the child asks for something wanted, takes turns, or says certain sounds clearly. She decides what to look at from your child's age and your concerns.

Nita Anavim, M.S., CCC-SLP, a California-licensed speech-language pathologist, leads each speech evaluation. She also co-founded Therapy Clubhouse. If therapy is recommended, our page on speech therapy in Burbank has more.

Fourteen business days is the longest the written report takes after your child's evaluation. If the therapist recommends therapy, a therapy plan arrives with the report.

In the report you will find what your child does well, plus a specific recommendation. When therapy isn't recommended, the report says so plainly, and your therapist explains what to keep an eye on. Sharing the report with your child's pediatrician or school is up to you.

You do not need to wait for the report. Your first session can start 5 days after your call, at the soonest. As of October 2026, families who start therapy here, at home or by video, do not join a waiting list.

SEED stands for Special Education Early Development. The Horace Mann Children's Center site says it meets Monday through Friday for 2.5 hours a day.

Students are grouped by developmental levels, strengths, and needs, the site says. They work with Early Childhood Specialists in a smaller environment. The site lists social skills and facilitation of play, and functional communication, among the evidence-based teaching practices used by all team members.

To request an assessment for a preschool-age child, Burbank Unified's SEED page lists two steps. Use its enrollment link, then email the Parent Enrollment Questionnaire forms.

You also upload documents, including immunization records, an original birth certificate or passport, and a parent or guardian photo ID. For proof of residency, the page asks for two utility bills. One must be a Burbank Water and Power bill.

For a child in grades K-12, the district's special education FAQ says parents may also ask the school to hold a Student Success Team meeting. A referral for an assessment may be made from that meeting.

Yes. Children from birth to age 18 are welcome, so a baby or toddler can be evaluated.

With a toddler, the therapist may plan shorter stretches with breaks between them.

Burbank Public Library's kids' programs page describes Family Story Time. It is a story time for children ages 0 to 5 and their grownups. It is filled with books, songs, and rhymes.

Yes, through Village. Coverage depends on the plan, and the evaluation is a clinical service.

Village bills your plan, and your family pays what the plan sets, either a copay or a deductible. Village also has its own fee for each visit. Several major insurers' PPO plans are accepted through Village, and TRICARE is too.

When a family pays privately, we provide a superbill. The family can send it to the insurer for possible reimbursement. For coverage questions, start with a free consultation.