Seeking services for your child can be stressful. It can feel even more overwhelming when you are not quite sure what to look for. Determining which services and supports a child needs is rarely straightforward, and can take a lot of investigation. It can seem like a formidable feat, especially when you might not know where to start.
If you know this feeling, a developmental assessment may be the best path forward, and give you all the information you need to make the best decision for your child. A developmental assessment involves clinicians from different professions, which gives you the whole puzzle rather than a single piece.
What is a developmental assessment?
A developmental assessment is an evaluation conducted by an interdisciplinary team, such as a psychologist, occupational therapist, and speech-language pathologist, to assess a child’s skills in a variety of areas. Domains assessed include cognition, social-emotional skills, adaptive skills, speech and language, and gross and fine motor skills. The entire interdisciplinary team works together to evaluate a child within a 90 minute window, using a combination of clinical observations, standardized and non-standardized measures to identify their strengths and areas of growth.
When is a developmental assessment appropriate for my child?
A developmental assessment is appropriate for children who have significant difficulties or concerns across a multitude of domains. Because of its multidisciplinary approach, a developmental assessment is the best tool to thoroughly evaluate a child’s skills across all areas.
What age does my child need to be to participate in a developmental assessment?
Developmental assessments are most appropriate for children between the ages of two and five years old. The multi-disciplinary approach is better suited for this age range because it allows for thorough investigation of a child’s needs, which informs effective, targeted intervention early in life.
Can my child get a diagnosis from a developmental assessment?
Yes, a child can get a formal diagnosis from a developmental assessment. For example, the data collected from the assessment may indicate that a child meets the criteria for an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis. The benefit of a developmental assessment is that your child will have clinicians from different disciplines evaluating their respective domains, such as social skills, sensory processing, and language development.
