A Developmental Evaluation focuses on understanding how a child is progressing in their early years, typically before the age of 4 or before they start kindergarten. While your child's pediatrician keeps an eye on their development through regular check-ups, a developmental evaluation goes a step further, conducted by a specialist trained in child development when there are concerns. A developmental evaluation includes an assessment of cognition (thinking skills), communication, behavior, social interactions, motor and sensory abilities, which gives us important information about how your child is growing and developing.

Not all neurodevelopmental or behavioral diagnoses can be made in early childhood. Developmental delays, communication delays, and autism can be reliably diagnosed in the early years; however, ADHD is rarely formally diagnosed before kindergarten, even though risk factors may be present. Still, the evaluation can guide recommendations for early intervention and ongoing monitoring if risks for ADHD are identified.

At CReATE, a Developmental Evaluation is conducted by a psychologist with expertise in early childhood development. It is play-based and interactive with a lot of parental involvement.

Testing may involve simple tasks that measure expressive and receptive language abilities, nonverbal thinking skills, and other skills, but much of the evaluation is conducted through observation of how your child communicates and interacts with their environment. Further, parent-completed measures and preschool teacher measures (if applicable) are important components.

The goal of a developmental evaluation is to pinpoint your child's strengths and weaknesses, clarify any delays or diagnoses, and offer practical recommendations tailored to your child's needs for early intervention.

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