PRIVATE PAY · NEWPORT BEACH & COSTA MESA
A private occupational therapy assessment gives you a clear, written picture of your child's fine motor, sensory, and daily-living skills - without waiting on a referral or insurance authorization first. Here's the cost, the timeline, and what actually happens in the room.
Full evaluation + written report
Often sooner for infants/toddlers
One visit, plus a report follow-up call
A comprehensive private-pay assessment typically runs $1000 - $2550, depending on your child's age and whether standardized testing is needed alongside clinical observation. That fee covers the full evaluation visit, formal scoring, a written report you can share with your pediatrician or school, and a follow-up call to walk through the results together.
If you'd rather use insurance, we can provide a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement, or you can ask your pediatrician for a referral if you want to try billing in-network first. Most families who come to us directly are looking to skip the authorization wait - that's the main trade-off private pay solves for.
Most families are seen within 7-10 days of calling. Infant and toddler assessments (under 24 months) often move faster, since those visits are shorter and easier to slot in. If your child has an upcoming IEP meeting, school deadline, or a specific date you're working against, tell us when you call - we hold a small number of priority slots each week for exactly that.
We see families in-office in Newport Beach, with a limited number of home-based assessment visits available across both Newport Beach and Costa Mesa for children who regulate better in their own environment - ask about availability when you book.
A short phone call before your visit so we understand what's prompting the assessment - a pediatrician's concern, a teacher's note, or something you've noticed at home.
Your child works through age-appropriate tasks and standardized tools covering fine motor control, sensory processing, self-regulation, and daily living skills like dressing, feeding, or handwriting. Parents stay in the room for younger children.
We score any standardized measures and put together a written report in plain language - not just percentile numbers, but what they mean for your child day to day.
We walk through the report together, answer questions, and - if therapy is recommended - outline what goals and frequency would actually look like, with no pressure to commit on the spot.
Families regularly come to us from Corona del Mar, Eastbluff, Newport Heights, Dover Shores, the Balboa Peninsula and Balboa Island, and Newport Coast. Our office is a short drive from Fashion Island for anyone combining the visit with errands.
We also see kids from Eastside Costa Mesa, Mesa Verde, College Park, and the South Coast Metro area near South Coast Plaza. It's typically a 10–15 minute drive to our Newport Beach office from most Costa Mesa neighborhoods.
Have a question that's not answered here? Reach out on our intake call—we're happy to walk through any specific concerns you have before booking.
No. Private-pay assessments don't require a referral, which is the main reason families choose this route - you can book directly and get seen faster. If you later want to bill insurance for ongoing therapy, a pediatrician's referral may be required at that stage, but not for the initial assessment.
A school OT evaluation only looks at whether a delay affects your child's ability to access their education, and results are shared with the school team. A private assessment looks at the whole child - home, feeding, self-care, sensory regulation - and the report belongs to you, not the school district. Many families use one to support the other.
Tell us on the intake call - we'll adjust the pacing, let your child explore the room first, and build in breaks. For kids who do noticeably better in familiar surroundings, ask about a home-based visit when you book.
It can. Our reports are written to be usable in school meetings, with clear, specific recommendations rather than vague language - but schools make their own eligibility decisions, and we're upfront if we think your case is better suited to a school-based evaluation instead.
That happens, and it's a good outcome - you'll leave with a written report confirming your child is on track, plus a few things to watch for. You're never signed up for ongoing sessions automatically.
Call to check availability this week, or book online - most families are seen within 7-10 days.
Kerrie Rowe OT · Serving Newport Beach & Costa Mesa, CA