What is a developmental evaluation?
A developmental evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of a child's overall skills including cognitive, language/communication, adaptive, motor, behavior, and social/emotional functioning.
As part of the evaluation, the developmental pediatrician gathers information from the following sources:
- Available records from the child’s school, Early Intervention, therapists, medical and mental health providers
- Parents/Caregivers fill out a developmental packet that includes information about the child’s early development, medical conditions, current physical, mental, social skills, and family history
- Depending on the child’s age, additional forms/questionnaires may be required from a teacher or therapist
What will happen during the evaluation?
Below is a potential outline of the appointments that make up a Developmental evaluation. Keep in mind that each evaluation is tailored to your child’s needs.
Developmental Appointment Outline
- Initial Parent Interview
a. In-person or virtual visit lasting about 1-2 hours
b. Only primary parent/caregiver present
c. Overview of concerns, review of chart notes, and plan for testing
- Testing
a. May occur in clinic or virtually, depending on the Physician and child
b. Lasts about 2 hours
c. May require 1-2 separate sessions (to be determined and scheduled by the Developmental Pediatrician)
- Feedback (could be combined with testing appointment)
a. May occur in clinic or virtually, depending on the child
b. Only primary parent/caregiver present
c. Lasts about 1 hour
d. Possible diagnosis disclosure, resources, and plan to be discussed
What information will be provided in the evaluation report?
- Summary of the child’s overall development
- The diagnosis(es) that explains the child’s presentation (when applicable)
- Recommendations for treatment to support the child’s development
How do I access the developmental evaluation report?
Parent or guardian with MyHealth account with proxy access to their child will receive report through MyHealth
Parent or guardian without a MyHealth account will receive a copy in the mail.
What ages are appropriate at this pediatric Developmental clinic?
At date of referral, child may be between 12 months and 4 years 11 months old.
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