Questions parents ask us, answered plainly

Worrying is normal, and you’re not alone. The useful question is whether it’s worth having someone look. A consultation can answer that, and a fuller assessment answers it in depth: what’s happening, what’s a passing phase, and what could use a hand. Most parents leaverelieved either way.

Start from a concern that sounds familiar.

It starts before you arrive. You call or write to us, and on that call the team talks through what you are seeing and decides the right first appointment with you: a consultation, or a fuller assessment. We explain what each can tell you, and its price, before a time is booked.

Plan for about an hour, so nobody feels rushed; we confirm the timing when you book. A parent or caregiver stays with your child throughout. You talk, your child plays, and a qualified clinician watches how your child moves, listens, learns and communicates. If you have previous reports, from a paediatrician, a school, or another therapist, bring them along. They help us see the whole picture. You won’t be left in a waiting room wondering. You’ll leave with a plain-language picture of your child and a clear next step.

See the whole path, from first call to first review.

No. You can call us directly and book. If a doctor or teacher has already suggested therapy, that’s fine too. Bring along any reports or notes you have, and tell us what they said.

See the three ways to reach the team.

Don’t rehearse anything. Come as you are. It helps if your child is not hungry or overtired, and it helps if you arrive a few minutes early so there is no rush. Tell your child, in a light way, that you are going somewhere with toys where someone will play with them. That’s all the preparation needed.

Please bring a snack and your child’s favourite toys, videos of what happens at home, photographs of your child at different ages and stages, and any previous reports. They all help the team see the whole picture.

Read what happens step by step.

Then that’s useful information too, and our therapists are used to it. No child is ever forced, coaxed beyond comfort, or judged. The first visit can simply be about you and the therapist talking while your child warms up.Some of our best assessments happen with a child on a parent’s lap.

See how the first visit is handled.

Just message us on WhatsApp and we will find another time that works. Tell us as early as you can, and we will rebook you.

WhatsApp +91 70225 30530 to reschedule.

Yes. When speech is slow to arrive, or hearing still feels uncertain, a hearing check is often one of the first things worth doing. We offer OAE and BERA hearing assessment: screening at both centres, and diagnostic testing, including BERA, at Kalyan Nagar by appointment.

Read about hearing assessment and audiology.

We understand why it feels like a delay. But therapy works when it is aimed at the right thing, and guessing wastes your time and money. Sometimes a consultation is enough to give you a direction; sometimes a fuller evaluation is what’s needed. Either way, it’s one step, and it’s thedifference between a plan and a hope.

See how the appointment is chosen.

Usually not. If your child has had a recent, detailed assessment from another professional, we do not necessarily repeat the whole assessment straight away. You can book an initial consultation, where we read the reports you bring, talk through your concerns, spend time observing your child, and agree the useful next step with you. If you have reports from a paediatrician, a hospital, a school, or another therapist, bring them along. They help us see the whole picture.

Two kinds of assessment

• A broad developmental assessment gives an overall picture of how your child is developing across several areas.
• A discipline-specific evaluation goes much deeper into one area. It is carried out by a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), an Occupational Therapist (OT), a psychologist, or another discipline.

Which one is useful depends on what your child needs, and we explain that before you book.

What we cannot do

One thing we cannot do is start therapy directly on the strength of another professional’s consultation, without meeting your child ourselves. The initial consultation is how we understand your child, set priorities, explain how we work and what to expect, and decide together whether our approach fits your family. It is not about duplicating assessments. It is about not beginning therapy without clinically understanding the child in front of us.

See how we use existing reports.

Sessions start at ₹900. From there, the rate depends on the therapist’s experience and seniority, and we’ll tell you plainly before you start. A consultation is ₹1,000(₹1,500 with a senior clinician), and a detailed evaluation is typically ₹2,500–₹4,000+.

See the full picture on our Fees page.

Because it’s real work by a real clinician. A consultation is a proper appointment, and a detailed evaluation is more again. Ours ends with a plain-language picture and a written plan, whether or not you continue with us.

See what each appointment includes.

You’ll always hear the full cost of what’s recommended before it starts. If anything carries a separate charge, such as evaluations, materials, a programme, or formal school liaison, the price comes with the suggestion, in thesame conversation, never later.

Read the fee and attendance terms.

We know how it looks. Play is how children learn to talk, to move, to pay attention and to cope. What makes it therapy is what happens inside the play: the games and toys are chosen by a therapist working towards goals we’ve set with you. The child sees fun. You’ll see the plan.

See what purposeful play means here.

At home, play just happens. In a session, the therapist shapes it, choosing activities that suit your child’s current level, again and again, in a way that feels like a game. That gentle, skilful repetition is where the progress comes from.

Read how sessions and home practice differ.

Our centres run one shift:

• Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 6:30 pm at both centres.
• Saturday hours differ by centre: 9:00 am to 1:30 pm at Kalyan Nagar, and 9:00 am to 6:30 pm at Dr. Shivarama Karanth Nagar.
• School-age sessions cluster between 3:00 and 6:30 pm, when the centre is fullest.
• Mornings are quieter, and often easier to book.

If weekdays are hard for your family, ask about Saturday slots, Online Therapy, or parent coaching where those fit. Tell us what your day looks like and we’ll work around it.

Check hours and centre details.

Usually the one closer to you. We are in Kalyan Nagar (HRBR Layout) and in Dr. Shivarama Karanth Nagar (serving Jakkur and Thanisandra). Both run to the same standard, but the services differ slightly. Psychology & Behavioural Support is at Kalyan Nagar only, for example. If you are unsure which is nearer, call us with your area and we will tell you.

See every service and where it runs.

Yes, Online Therapy is available across India, and internationally. In India it’s charged at the same rate as in-person; for families outside India there’s an additional fee of about ₹300–₹500. We’ll talk through whether it suits your child’s needs at your first conversation.

See Online Therapy.

One call: +91 70225 30530 (Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 6:30 pm at both centres; Saturday hours differ by centre), or message us on WhatsApp. That’s all it takes.

Or write it down and send it in WhatsApp.

Every answer begins with the same thing: it depends on the child. We can talk in weeks and months, not years or days. We work in four-month cycles, and most children need more than one. What we do is set clear goals, review them about every four months, and tell you plainly where things stand. Nobody can give you a fixed date for a child’s development. A plan and a review, we can give you.

See how goals and reviews are written down.

The therapist and you decide together, and it is not set by a template. We do ask for a minimum of two sessions, and there is a clinical reason for it.

Why two sessions

• The first session is often about settling in; a child’s real starting point shows up once they are comfortable.
• A second session gives the therapist a measured baseline, lets an approach be tried and adjusted, and gives your child enough continuity for anything to take hold.
• One session would leave us guessing, which is the one thing we try to avoid.

After your child’s assessment we’ll recommend a frequency, explain why, and review it as your child changes.

See how the schedule is agreed.

A short report takes about a week, and a detailed evaluation report about two weeks. You also receive a formal progress and evaluation report once per therapy cycle, currently about every four months, as a soft copy and at no extra charge.

See when each report is written.

Usually yes. We follow an open-door approach, so families can take part in or observe sessions when it is appropriate. There is no fixed time limit; it depends on your child, what feels comfortable for your family, and your therapist’s advice. If your child is less settled with family in the room, you can wait outside for part of the session. Being there helps the strategies carry into everyday routines at home.

Read about our open-door approach.

Yes, and they are part of the regular service. A formal progress and evaluation report is written once per therapy cycle, which is currently about every four months. You receive it whether or not you ask for it, and it does not carry an extra charge.

When a fee applies

If you need something beyond the regular cycle, that is a separate professional service, and it may involve an additional fee. This can include:

• an additional detailed report,
• a current-status report, or
• a new evaluation outside the regular cycle, for example for a doctor, a school, or another professional.

Additional and out-of-cycle reports have a minimum 15-day turnaround. We tell you the cost before the work is done, and we share reports with anyone outside the practice only with your consent.

See how reports and separate charges work.

You’ll see it, and we’ll show it. We set goals in plain language at the start, and review them about every four months. Each review comes with the written progress and evaluation report for the cycle, sent as a soft copy. We’ll also tell you what to watch for at home. In short: weagree what to look at, and when to review it.

See how a goal becomes an everyday sign.

Say so. That’s exactly what reviews are for. Sometimes the plan needs adjusting, sometimes the frequency does, and sometimes progress is happening in a place you haven’t been shown yet. We won’t ignore the question. If we can’t help your child, we’ll tell you and help you find who can.

Read how reviews and changes work.

Please give us at least four hours’ notice. We can arrange a compensatory session, up to three per month, on another day, not necessarily with the same therapist, and with no same-day guarantee. We try to fit a compensatory session into the same month, but when that is not possible (therapist, parent or child availability), the eligible session can be used within three months. Missed sessions without notice aregenerally not followed up with another slot.

Read the attendance terms in full.

• You are invoiced for the coming month on the 1st, and payment is due by the 5th.
• Planned absences told to us by the 5th are not billed, up to a 15-day limit; beyond that, the slot is rebooked rather than held.
• Payment is by UPI, card or cash, and any applicable card, bank or payment gateway charges are payable by the family. Ask us if you need another arrangement.
• If a payment runs past the 5th, the payment terms on our Fees page explain the charge that applies, and what to do if paying on time is difficult. Eligible missed sessions can be used as a compensatory session within three months, so they do not accumulate indefinitely.
• There is also a one-time ₹350 registration fee when your child enrols.

See the fee and payment terms.

The most powerful part of therapy happens at home: a few minutes a day, the way your therapist shows you. You’ll never be handed a homework list and abandoned. We keep itsmall enough to fit real life, because we know real life is where progress sticks.

Read about home practice.

Yes. It is called Cornerstone Parent Education. It is a private broadcast channel where members cannot see one another, run by the centre, and it’s for education, not gossip: useful, practical posts. You can leave at any time. There’s no set schedule of messages. We post when there’s something worth your time.

Join Cornerstone Parent Education or read more on the parents’ page.