Is your child talking less than other kids their age?
In Austin, you can get a free speech evaluation. ECI helps if your child is under 3, and your public school district helps from age 3. Below you’ll find who to call, what happens next and simple ways to practice at home while you wait.
If something on this list worries you, you don’t need to wait and see. You can ask for a free evaluation right away.
An evaluation is a check of how your child talks and understands words. It usually happens through play, often with a speech therapist.
ECI is Texas’s early intervention program for babies and toddlers up to 36 months. You can call ECI yourself, without a doctor’s referral.
Your public school district evaluates children from age 3 for free, even before they start school. If you live in Austin ISD, send a short written request to its special education office.
A university clinic for children and adults with speech, language or hearing needs. Call to ask about an appointment, fees and wait times.
These services are run independently of Speech Blubs.
Watch and respond together.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.
Pick a topic your child loves, like animals or snacks.
Watch together and pause. Give your child time to look, point or say a word.
Use the word later, at snack time or in a book.
MimiMomIt has so many different resources to help your child with their first words up to learning how to build sentences.
NoelleMom, sister of a speech therapistMy sister is an SLP, and she actually told us to download this app for my kid.
AnaMom of a 2-year-oldIt's definitely one of my favorite apps right now for my little one.
KaterinaMom and educatorI started looking for something that was research-backed and supported by professionals.
LezlieMom of a toddlerHe looks forward to it every day because we get to take a fun picture.
ShannonMom of three autistic sonsIt's just really been a joy to see how much fun he has using the app.
MikeDad of a toddlerGail responds really well to seeing kids his age or a little bit older doing things that he's doing.
Father of a 23-month-oldWhen I tell her it's time to play her game, she runs and gets up on the couch to play.
ChristinaMom of EdenWe aren't completely there, but we're closer than we ever have been.
LindsayMom of a 2-year-oldThey agreed that we could be doing some more practice at home.
If your child sees a therapist, ask which activities fit.
The app content is available in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Czech, Swedish, Polish, Hebrew, Hungarian, Lithuanian and Romanian. You can switch the language in the app menu. Read the language FAQ.
Use a walk, a book, or a snack as a reason to talk together. Follow what interests your child.
A nearby city park on Berkman Drive, good for a short play outside.
Name something your child notices with a short phrase, such as “big tree.” Pause for their response.
A nearby Austin Public Library branch, a good stop for picture books.
Choose a picture your child likes and talk about it together. Connect it to a toy at home.
Offer two familiar toys or foods and name each one. Give your child time to respond. Follow a look, gesture, sound, or word.
Opening hours change, so check the website before you go.
Short answers about free help, costs and the app.
The evaluation is free: through ECI under age 3, or through your public school district from age 3. School speech services are free if your child qualifies. ECI therapy costs depend on family size and income, and no family is turned away because they can’t pay. Find free help.
Texas Medicaid covers speech therapy for children when it’s medically necessary. Private plans differ, so call the number on your insurance card and ask about pediatric speech therapy. Find free help.
Not for ECI or the school district: you can contact them yourself. The school district must answer a written request for an evaluation in writing within 15 school days. Texas Medicaid and many insurance plans need a referral from your child’s doctor. Find free help.
Many 2-year-olds put two words together, like “more milk.” If your child doesn’t yet, it’s a good time to ask ECI for a free evaluation. You don’t need to wait and see. Find free help.
No. It gives you short activities to practice together at home. A speech therapist evaluates your child and plans the therapy. See how the app works.
Speech Blubs is available in English and Spanish, plus 11 more languages. You can switch the language in the app menu. See how the app works.
Speech Blubs is a subscription. You’ll see the current price and any trial in the quiz before you pay. Choose your child’s age.
Start with the quiz to learn about the app for your child.
In Mueller, you can ask for a free speech evaluation through ECI or your public school district. Bartholomew District Park on Berkman Drive and the Windsor Park Branch library are nearby for easy talking games.
For a child under 3, call ECI, Texas’s early intervention program for babies and toddlers. The evaluation is free, and you don’t need a doctor’s referral. Your ECI program depends on your ZIP code, and the Texas HHS website finds it for you. From age 3, ask your public school district for a free evaluation. If you live in Austin ISD, you can call 512-414-7733 to ask how. You can also ask the UT Austin Speech and Hearing Center about a private evaluation at 512-471-3841.
Bartholomew District Park is on Berkman Drive, close to Mueller. Look for things that move: a ball, a bike, a bird. Let your child pick one, then name it with a short phrase like “bird flies”. Wait a few seconds for their answer. A look, a sound or a word all count. Short visits work well, so head home while it’s still fun.
Windsor Park Branch is a nearby Austin Public Library branch. Mueller was once an airport, so a book about airplanes can be a fun link if your child likes them. Choose one book or one activity for the visit. At home, say “plane goes up” and lift your hand high. Wait for your child to copy you, with a sound, a gesture or a word. Then let them fly the plane back down.
We last checked these details in October 2026.
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