Pediatric speech evaluation in Lake Balboa, starting with a free call
After a free 15-minute call, a licensed speech-language pathologist can meet you on video. We visit homes in Lake Balboa.
Birth to age 18
Home, video, or your child's school (two approvals first: your written consent and the school's agreement), plus a private Westlake Village office on request
A free 15-minute call
Someone may have suggested a speech evaluation, perhaps a teacher or your child's doctor. Or you noticed something yourself, and the thought will not go away. A pediatric speech evaluation in Lake Balboa is a relaxed visit with a licensed speech-language pathologist. It is built around play. The therapist listens for how a child makes speech sounds, makes sense of words, and puts them together. No diagnosis or referral is needed.
When can a pediatric speech evaluation in Lake Balboa happen, and where?
We visit homes in Lake Balboa, and a video visit works too. Once the free 15-minute call shows an evaluation is the right next step, the evaluation can be held within 3 business days.
School visits happen only with two approvals in hand: your written consent, then the school's agreement. Public schools and private schools are both options. If you ask, the evaluation can happen in Westlake Village, in a private office on Townsgate Road.
Expect the evaluation to take about 60 to 90 minutes. In-home and telehealth families do not face a waiting list here, as of October 2026. Request the free call when you are ready.
Something about your child's speech on your mind?
Our team replies inside one business day to any note from a Lake Balboa parent.
Pick home or video, whichever suits your family. We visit homes in Lake Balboa, and video visits are available. School visits happen only with your written consent, then the school's agreement. In Westlake Village, a private office can be arranged on request.
What will the evaluation look like for my child, and what do I get afterward?
Talk comes first, then play, with age-matched tests mixed in. Within 14 business days of the visit, you get the written report, plus a therapy plan if therapy is recommended.
What you report about home counts alongside what the therapist measures. Along the way, the therapist may notice which sounds are clear. The therapist may also notice how your child asks for things and how turns in a game go.
Nita Anavim, M.S., CCC-SLP, talks with your family first. She leads each speech evaluation as co-founder of Therapy Clubhouse. Details are on our speech evaluation page and our page on speech therapy in Lake Balboa.
What is the Preschool Collaborative Class at Lemay Street Early Education Center?
Lemay Street Early Education Center's website describes a Preschool Collaborative Class (PCC) as a program designed for preschool children enrolled in Early Education programs and children eligible for special education.
The same page says the Preschool Collaborative Class staff includes Early Education Center personnel, a special education teacher and a special education assistant. To learn more about the class, ask the center itself.
What do Cohasset Street Elementary, Gault Street Elementary, and William Mulholland Middle School say about special education?
Cohasset Street Elementary's About page says the school features an intervention program and multiple special education classes. Gault Street Elementary's School Programs page says its students in School for Advanced Studies classes, general education classes and special education Special Day Program classes all have the same core academic and enrichment programs.
On its Special Education page, William Mulholland Middle School describes its Resource Specialist Program. The page says the program supports students who participate primarily in general education classes but require additional assistance in specific academic areas.
What does Los Angeles Unified say about its speech and language services?
Los Angeles Unified's Language and Speech page describes its Speech and Language program. The page says the program delivers services districtwide to eligible students whose communication challenges impede their access to or progress in general education.
You can ask your child's school what applies to your child.
Is a speech evaluation possible before age 3?
Yes, the age range starts at birth. If your child is not talking yet, gestures, copying, and shared attention weigh as heavily as words.
A toddler may do the visit in short stretches, with breaks in between. North Los Angeles County Regional Center's Early Start page says the Early Start Program is coordinated in California by regional centers and public-school districts. If Early Start is on your mind, bring it to the free call.
Can insurance be used for a speech evaluation?
Evaluations are clinical services. Insurance can be used for one, through Village.
Village sends your plan the bill for each visit. After that, your share is the copay or deductible your plan sets. Village adds a fee for each visit.
Private pay includes a superbill. Submit it to your insurer when you ask about possible reimbursement. Coverage questions can start with the free consultation.
Quick answers before you reach out
Can I find out about coverage before I commit?
Yes. Village takes TRICARE. For PPO plans, Village takes those from several major insurers. What gets covered is up to your plan. We use the free call to look over your coverage. You have not committed to anything by then.
Do I need our pediatrician's referral to start?
No. You can start without a referral and without a diagnosis. Once you write in, a licensed therapist reads every request. A reply comes within one business day.
What if the evaluation says my child does not need therapy?
Then the report tells you so, and it might suggest periodic monitoring or home strategies instead. The therapist names what to watch for.
Reseda, Northridge, and Winnetka have speech evaluation pages of their own. For worries about hands, movement, or senses, see the OT evaluation page for Lake Balboa. The Lake Balboa page covers both services.
Not sure if your child needs therapy?
Start with a free 15 minute consultation. No commitment, just clarity on whether your child would benefit and what the next step looks like.
Speech therapy and occupational therapy for children ages 0 to 18.
“Children develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when a child will learn a given skill.”
CDC says this about child development in general.
Noticing how your child communicates is a loving habit, and you already have it.
Request your free 15-minute consultation
Tell us what you are noticing about your child. A licensed therapist and our team read every message. Within one business day, our team calls to learn what you need and check insurance, then sets up a free call with Nita, Rachel or both. 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.
Our team replies inside one business day to any note from a Lake Balboa parent.
