Communication CheckUp

The Communication Checkup is an online screening tool created for parents and legal guardians living in Halton, Peel and Dufferin regions. The tool can also be used by educators in the community to screen children in their care.

Start the Communication Checkup

The Communication Checkup:

• Is available for children aged 6 months of age to June 30 of their junior kindergarten year.
• Screens areas of development based on the child’s current age.
• Screens for speech, language, social communication, fine and gross motor skills.
• Provides instant results based on the answers you provide.
• Suggests next steps to support your child’s development.

Screenings are available for 6mos, 9mos, 12mos, 18mos, 24mos, 30mos, 36mos, 42mos and 48mos. If your child has not reached the next milestone age listed, you will complete the screening for the younger age.

 If your child has already started Junior Kindergarten, please speak with their teacher, principal and/ or primary health care provider about your concerns.

Privacy Timeout

The screening should take approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. You must complete the screening in one sitting. To protect your privacy, the Communication Checkup will close after 30 minutes. When five minutes remain, the system will give you the option to add more time, if needed.

If the program closes, your information will be lost and you will need to start over.

Your privacy is important to us. Your secure session will begin after you agree to the terms and conditions on the first page of the tool.

Apple Product Users (iPhone^TM, iPad^TM, MacBook^TM)

The screening tool works best when using a Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser. If the tool is not working well, close the screening and use one of these browsers.

Completing the Communication Checkup screening

When completing the screening, think about how your child communicates in their first language. This is the language they understand and use most during their day.

Please note:

• Complete ONE screening for each child.
• All questions must be answered with a YES or NO.
• If you are not sure how to answer a question, choose the answer that best describes how your child is doing today with the skill. Have you seen this skill more than once?
• Answer the questions as best as you can.

Results

The results are calculated based on the answers that you have given us.

Possible results include:

• A recommendation to come back at your child’s next milestone
• A referral to Speech and Language Services at ErinoakKids to access an assessment for your child
• A recommendation to see your child’s primary health care provider to talk about other areas of their development highlighted in your results

On your results page, you will receive detailed instructions on what to do next. Save, print or email your results.

If you fail to save, print or email your results, they will be lost. Your results are not stored and you cannot access them at a later time.

Accessing ErinoakKids Services

You will be able to directly refer to ErinoakKids for a speech and language assessment through the screening tool. Otherwise you must complete the referral form provided and fax or mail to the Intake Office at ErinoakKids. Your child’s name will be placed on the waiting list for an assessment when our Intake office has received this form.

Disclosure statement

Permission was granted to ErinoakKids to use and adapt the First Words Program screening tool.