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Understanding Your Child's SLP Report
A guide to decoding SLP evaluation reports, test scores, clinical terminology, and what it all means for your child.
Common Terms Explained
SLP reports are full of professional terminology that can feel overwhelming. Here is a glossary of the most common terms you will encounter and what they actually mean in plain language.
- Receptive language: how well your child understands language (words, directions, questions)
- Expressive language: how well your child uses language (vocabulary, sentences, stories)
- Articulation: how clearly your child produces individual speech sounds
- Phonological processes: patterns of sound errors (e.g., leaving off final consonants)
- Pragmatic language: social communication skills (turn-taking, topic maintenance, eye contact)
- Mean Length of Utterance (MLU): the average length of your child's sentences in words or morphemes
What Percentiles Mean
Percentile ranks are one of the most common ways results are reported. A percentile tells you where your child falls compared to other children the same age. It does NOT mean the percentage of questions they got right.
- 50th percentile = average (half of same-age children scored higher, half scored lower)
- 25th percentile = low end of average (75% of same-age peers scored higher)
- 10th percentile = below average (90% of peers scored higher) — this often qualifies for services
- Below the 7th percentile is generally considered significantly below average
- Percentiles are based on a large sample of same-age children across the country
Tip
A percentile of 10 does NOT mean your child got 10% correct. It means 90% of same-age children scored higher. Think of it as a ranking, not a grade.
Understanding Standardized Scores
Standard scores are another way test results are reported. They use a different scale than percentiles but tell you the same information — how your child compares to same-age peers. Most standardized tests use a mean (average) score of 100 with a standard deviation of 15.
- Standard score of 100 = exactly average
- 85-115 = within normal limits (within one standard deviation)
- 70-84 = below average (between one and two standard deviations below)
- Below 70 = significantly below average (more than two standard deviations below)
- Severity descriptors: mild (78-85), moderate (70-77), severe (below 70) — varies by test. These ranges are approximate and vary significantly by test. Your SLP can explain what specific scores mean for your child.
What Goals Mean
If your child qualifies for therapy, the report will include goals — specific, measurable targets for what your child will work on in therapy. Goals should be written in a way that you can understand what success looks like.
- Goals should be specific: 'produce /s/ in the initial position of words' not 'improve articulation'
- Goals include a criteria: 'with 80% accuracy over 3 consecutive sessions'
- Short-term goals are stepping stones to long-term goals
- Goals should be functional: connected to real communication your child needs
- You have the right to provide input on goals and request changes
Note
If a goal doesn't make sense to you, ask the SLP to explain it. Good goals are meaningful — they should connect to things that will actually help your child communicate better in daily life.
How to Use the Report
Your child's SLP report is a valuable document. It is not just a one-time assessment — it becomes part of your child's record and can be shared with other providers, schools, and specialists to ensure everyone is on the same page.
- Keep a copy for your records — you may need it for school enrollment, insurance, or future evaluations
- Share it with your pediatrician and any other therapists your child sees
- Use it to track progress: compare future evaluations to the baseline
- Bring it to IEP or IFSP meetings as supporting documentation
- It can support insurance appeals if services are denied
Questions to Ask Your SLP
After reviewing the report, it is normal to have questions. A good SLP will welcome your questions and take the time to explain results in a way that makes sense to you. Here are some important questions to ask.
- Where is my child compared to same-age peers in each area tested?
- What are my child's strengths, not just their weaknesses?
- What does this mean for everyday communication at home and school?
- What can I do at home to support these goals?
- How often should my child receive therapy, and for how long?
- When should we re-evaluate to check progress?
This handout is for educational purposes and does not replace professional evaluation or treatment. If you have concerns about your child's development, consult a licensed speech-language pathologist.
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