The doctor has given their verdict: your child needs a speech therapy assessment. Or perhaps it is you, as an adult, who wants to finally put a name to difficulties with reading, stuttering or communication that have been with you for years. Whatever the situation, the next question is always the same: how long will you have to wait?
In France, waiting times for a speech therapy assessment generally range from 6 to 18 months depending on the region. In some underserved areas, the wait sometimes exceeds two years. But this reality is no longer inevitable. Today there are several ways to get an assessment quickly — sometimes within 48 hours. Here is the complete guide.
Why is a speech therapy assessment so hard to get quickly?
France has around 25,000 speech therapists in private practice, a number that has not kept pace with rising demand. Greater awareness of dys disorders (dyslexia, dysorthographia, developmental language disorder, dyscalculia) and ADHD has multiplied requests for diagnostic assessments, particularly for school-age children. On top of this, distribution across the country is uneven: rural areas, outer suburbs and some large cities have speech therapy deserts where waiting lists systematically exceed a year.
The result is concrete: a child who shows signs of dyslexia in CP (the first year of primary school) may wait until CM1 or CM2 (the fourth or fifth year) without having received a diagnosis. Without an assessment, no school adjustment is possible. Every month counts.
Option 1 — The online speech therapy assessment: the fastest solution
This is currently the most effective way to get an assessment as quickly as possible. Speech teletherapy makes it possible to carry out a complete evaluation by video conference, from your home, with a state-certified speech therapist. At ORA-VISIO, a slot is generally available within a few days.
What an online speech therapy assessment includes:
- An initial interview (case history) with the parents or the patient to gather medical, school and family history
- Standardised tests normed on the French population (reading, writing, oral language, arithmetic depending on age and difficulties)
- A feedback discussion with the speech therapist at the end of the session
- A detailed written report delivered within 7 to 10 days
This report has exactly the same value as an assessment carried out in an office. It is recognised for:
- Setting up a PAP (Plan d’Accompagnement Personnalisé, a personalised support plan) at school
- Putting together an MDPH application
- Exam adjustments (extra time for the brevet and the bac)
- Sharing with health professionals (doctor, paediatrician, neuropsychologist)
Who is the online assessment suitable for? Children from the age of 3, teenagers and adults, provided they have a computer with a webcam and a stable internet connection.
Book a speech therapy assessment
Appointment available within a few days · State-certified speech therapists · Report recognised for PAP & MDPH
Option 2 — Widen the geographical search and make more calls
If you prefer an office assessment or if there are medical reasons for one, several strategies can reduce waiting times:
- Widen the search radius. Going 30 to 40 km from your home significantly increases your chances of finding an available speech therapist.
- Get on cancellation lists. Call practices directly early in the morning and ask to be put down for cancellations. Last-minute cancellations are frequent — a responsive parent can often get a slot well before their turn on the main list.
- Contact recently opened practices. A speech therapist who opens a new practice often takes on new patients more easily than one who has been established for a long time. Look for recent openings in professional directories.
⚠️ These approaches take time and perseverance, with no guarantee of a quick result.
Option 3 — Go through public services and care networks
In some situations (severe disorders, a very young child, suspected ASD or severe developmental language disorder), priority pathways exist:
- Medical-psychological-educational centres (CMPP) offer multidisciplinary assessments, often at lower cost or even free of charge, with sometimes shorter waiting times for urgent situations. Ask your GP or paediatrician for a referral stating that it is urgent.
- Coordination and referral platforms (PCO) give priority to children under 7 with suspected neurodevelopmental disorders. The GP can refer directly.
- Hospital rehabilitation departments sometimes have more accessible assessment slots for medically urgent situations (after a stroke, a head injury or ENT surgery).
⚠️ Public services are also under strain. These pathways are nevertheless worth exploring alongside the other solutions.
Urgent assessment: which situations justify immediate care?
Certain medical situations make the speech therapy assessment particularly urgent. Teleconsultation is then often the only realistic solution within a timeframe compatible with the situation:
- After a stroke or head injury: fast speech therapy is decisive for the recovery of language functions.
- Before a major school exam (brevet, bac): without an assessment report, no extra-time request can be processed in time.
- For entry into a ULIS or SEGPA (specialised school classes): the MDPH application requires a recent speech therapy assessment.
- For a child at serious risk of dropping out of school: every week without a diagnosis makes the delay and the loss of self-esteem worse.
In all these situations, ORA-VISIO offers priority slots with a report delivered within 7 days.
Book a speech therapy assessment
Appointment available within a few days · State-certified speech therapists · Report recognised for PAP & MDPH
Checklist before your quick speech therapy assessment: what to prepare
Whether the assessment is in an office or online, preparing a few things in advance makes the consultation much smoother:
- The doctor’s prescription (if you want the therapy that follows to be covered by French national health insurance, Assurance Maladie)
- The latest school reports or skills records (for children)
- Previous assessments or reports (psychologist, orthoptist, child psychiatrist…)
- A list of the difficulties observed day to day, and how long they have been present
- For an online assessment: make sure you have a quiet space, a computer with a working camera and microphone, and a stable connection
A well-prepared assessment is a more complete and more effective assessment.
FAQ — Quick speech therapy assessment: your questions
Can you have a speech therapy assessment without a prescription?
Yes. No prescription is needed for a private diagnostic speech therapy assessment (such as by teleconsultation). However, if you want the therapy sessions that follow to be reimbursed by Assurance Maladie, a medical prescription will be essential to start contracted care.
Is an online speech therapy assessment reimbursed?
A speech therapy assessment by teleconsultation at ORA-VISIO is paid for directly online. Depending on your country and your health cover, your insurance may reimburse part of it: a detailed invoice is provided.
Is the online speech therapy assessment suitable for anxious children?
Often better than an office assessment. The child stays in their familiar environment, surrounded by the things they know, which considerably reduces performance anxiety. ORA-VISIO’s speech therapists are trained to adapt their protocols to the video format and to put young patients at ease quickly.
From what age can an assessment be done online?
Teleconsultation assessments are suitable for children from the age of 3, teenagers and adults. For very young children (under 3), an in-person assessment generally remains preferable because direct observation of behaviour is decisive at this age.
In summary: which solution should you choose?
If you need a speech therapy assessment quickly, here are the solutions ranked by waiting time:
⚡ Within 48 hours to 7 days: online speech therapy assessment via ORA-VISIO
📅 A few weeks: private practice with a cancellation list or a wider search
🏥 1 to 6 months: CMPP or PCO via priority medical referral
⏳ 6 to 18 months: standard private practice on a waiting list
Every month without a diagnosis is another month in which your child — or you yourself — faces their difficulties without the right tools. Do not put off until tomorrow what you can solve this week.
Book a speech therapy assessment
Appointment available within a few days · State-certified speech therapists · Report recognised for PAP & MDPH
