Speech BlubsStart the quiz

For parents in Anaheim

Speech therapy for kids in Anaheim.

Is your child talking less than other kids their age?

For a child under 3 in Anaheim, call Early Start at the Regional Center of Orange County, 714-796-5100. From age 3, your home address decides the school district, and Anaheim Elementary’s Special Services office is (714) 517-7525.

Find free help See how the app works
A child plays with colorful shapes and the Speech Blubs mascot.
AnaheimOfficial sources

Is my child on track?

Signs to look for, by age.

If something on this list worries you, you don’t need to wait and see. You can ask for a free evaluation right away.

Find free help Source: CDC milestones
By 18 months
Tries to say at least 3 words besides “mama” or “dada.”
By 2 years
Puts two words together, like “more milk.”
By 3 years
Has a short back-and-forth conversation with you.
At any age
Stops saying words they used to say.

Free and paid help in Anaheim

Where to get help in Anaheim.

An evaluation is a check of how your child talks and understands words. It usually happens through play, often with a speech therapist.

01

Under 3: Early Start through the Regional Center of Orange County

Call the Regional Center of Orange County at 714-796-5100 for a free evaluation. You don’t need a doctor’s note.

Visit the regional center’s website
02

Age 3 and up: Anaheim Elementary and the other local districts

Anaheim Elementary School District offers speech and language therapy for its students. Call Special Services at (714) 517-7525 and ask for an evaluation. School evaluations are free. Parts of Anaheim are in Orange Unified, (714) 628-4000, or Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified, (714) 986-7000. Others are in Magnolia, (714) 761-5533, Savanna, (714) 236-3800, or Centralia, (714) 228-3100. Ask for special education when you call any of these main lines. Your home address decides.

Visit the district’s Special Services page
03

Any age: CHOC speech therapy in Orange

CHOC’s speech therapists see children from birth through age 21 at 3745 W. Chapman Ave., Suite 200, in Orange. Call 714-509-4220 to book. CHOC needs a doctor’s referral, and your insurance must approve the evaluation first.

Visit CHOC’s speech therapy page

These services are run independently of Speech Blubs.

A child and an example of the Speech Blubs app on a phone.

Speech Blubs at home

While you wait, practice at home.

Getting an appointment can take time. Speech Blubs gives you short activities to do together: your child watches other kids say words and make sounds, then tries too.

  1. Pick a topic your child loves, like animals or snacks.

  2. Watch together and pause. Give your child time to look, point or say a word.

  3. Use the word later, at snack time or in a book.

Parents on practicing at home

Start the quiz
  • iPhone and Android
  • English, Spanish and 11 more languages

If your child sees a therapist, ask which activities fit.

Everyday ideas

Talk and play around Anaheim.

A walk, a book or a snack gives you something to talk about. Follow what your child is looking at.

A path between trees, illustrative photo.
Illustrative photo; it does not show the named location. Michael Telitsyn · Pexels License

01 / Pearson Park

City option

Talk about what your child notices.

Pearson Park, at 400 N. Harbor Blvd., is Anaheim’s first city park and has a play area for children.

Name what you see on the walk in, like a tree, a dog or a ball. Say the word once, then wait for your child to try.

treedogball
Plan your visit
A hand choosing a book from a shelf, illustrative photo.
Illustrative photo; it does not show the named location. Element5 Digital · Pexels License

02 / Anaheim Central Library

City option

Start with a favorite picture.

The Central Library at 500 W. Broadway has a Central Children’s Area with play programs for ages 5 and under.

Pick a book with animals. Make the animal sound together, then pause so your child can take a turn.

moomoreagain
Plan your visit
A hand playing with colorful wooden blocks.
Illustrative photo. Michał Bożek · Unsplash License

03 / The app

Offer two choices and pause.

Show two familiar toys or foods and name them. Give your child time to respond with a look, a gesture, a sound or a word.

this onemoreyour turn
The app

Opening hours change, so check the website before you go.

What happens next

From the first call to a plan.

  1. You call.

    Say: “I’m worried about my child’s speech and I’d like an evaluation.” Give your child’s age and where you live.

  2. A therapist meets your child.

    They play and talk with your child to see how they understand and use words.

  3. You get a plan.

    If your child needs support, you agree on the next steps together. If not, ask what to practice at home and when to check again.

Before you call, write down a few words your child says, how they ask for things, and the languages you speak at home.

Questions parents ask in Anaheim.

Is speech therapy free in Anaheim?

The evaluation is free through the Regional Center of Orange County for children under 3. From age 3 it is free through your home school district. School speech services are free if your child qualifies. Early Start is California’s early intervention program for babies and toddlers up to 36 months. Its therapy may be billed to Medi-Cal or your insurance first.

How much does speech therapy cost? Does Medi-Cal or insurance pay?

Clinic fees vary, so ask about the price when you call. Medi-Cal covers medically necessary speech therapy for children. With private insurance, call the number on your card and ask about speech therapy for kids.

Do I need a doctor’s referral?

Not for Early Start or the school district. You can call them yourself. CHOC asks for a doctor’s referral, and Medi-Cal or your plan may too.

How long is the wait, and what can I do while I wait?

Ask Early Start staff how soon the evaluation can happen when you call 714-796-5100. Under California rules, a school district sends an assessment plan within 15 days of your written request. The IEP (your child’s school support plan) is due within 60 days of your written consent. While you wait, talk, read and play together every day, and try short Speech Blubs activities at home.

My 2-year-old only says a few words. Should I worry about a speech delay?

Many 2-year-olds put two words together, like “more milk.” If yours doesn’t yet, it’s a good time to call the Regional Center of Orange County for an evaluation. It’s free, and you don’t need to wait and see.

Does Speech Blubs replace a speech therapist?

No. Speech Blubs gives you short activities to practice together at home. A speech therapist evaluates your child and plans the therapy. If your child sees a therapist, ask which activities fit.

Which languages is the Speech Blubs app in?

Speech Blubs is available in English (US and UK) and Spanish, plus 11 more languages. These include German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Swedish, Polish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Romanian. You can switch the language in the app menu.

Life with little ones in Anaheim

Speech therapy for kids in Anaheim: help nearby and practice at home

Start with the county, then the district

Anaheim is in Orange County, so babies and toddlers go through the Regional Center of Orange County. Call 714-796-5100. Anyone can start the call. Expect questions about your child’s age, the words your child uses and where you live.

What Anaheim Elementary offers

Anaheim Elementary School District lists speech and language therapy among its special education services. Special Services answers at (714) 517-7525. The district also runs preschool through its Early Childhood Education office at 1001 S. East St., phone (714) 517-7125. Anaheim Elementary covers about 42% of the city’s land area. Orange Unified covers about a third, and Placentia-Yorba Linda about 13%. Magnolia covers about 7%, and Savanna and Centralia about 2% each. Parts of Anaheim are in Orange Unified, Placentia-Yorba Linda, Magnolia, Savanna or Centralia districts. Call the one for your home.

You can ask for an evaluation in writing. The district then has 15 days to send an assessment plan.

A first call, a clinic and two outings

Try this on the phone: “My child is 2 and says very few words. I’d like an evaluation.” Then give your address and your child’s age. Write down a few words your child says before you dial.

CHOC in Orange runs an outpatient speech clinic at 3745 W. Chapman Ave., Suite 200. It asks for a pediatrician’s referral first. For a free outing, the Central Library at 500 W. Broadway runs a toddler storytime. Pearson Park, at 400 N. Harbor Blvd., is a calm place to name things together.

We last checked these details in November 2026.

Sources

· We checked these official pages in November 2026.