Evaluations
A Description of the Evaluation Process at Developmental Pediatrics
At Developmental Pediatrics, we offer a range of evaluation and assessment services for kids, starting as young as 18 months. If you’ve been referred to our team or you’re curious about how assessment works, you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn a little more about the Developmental Pediatrics assessment process. Want to find out more? Don’t hesitate to contact our team. We’re here to help.
The Four Appointment Process
For toddlers and young children 18 months and older, we typically require four visits to complete the assessment battery, especially if you suspect your child may be on the autism spectrum. The visits are usually broken down in the following way:
- First Visit – review of history and documentation, discussion of assessment plan, and answering any questions.
- Second Visit – we provide diagnostic testing.
- Third Visit – we provide continued diagnostic testing.
- Fourth Visit – review findings, answer questions, provide reports, and partner to create an actionable plan to help you move forward with continued treatment as necessary.
Prepare for Your First Visit
In order to have a productive first appointment, we need to get to work with the right materials at your first visit. We may ask that parents, family members, and educators complete some quick online forms that allow us to gather information about the reasons for testing and areas of concern prior to the appointment. During the appointment, which can take sixty to ninety minutes, we ask that you bring the following documentation and information:
- Family health history – take special note of any family history of developmental disorders
- Birth history – be prepared to talk to us about any difficulties associated with the child’s birth, including things like oxygen limitation or time spent in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.
- Developmental history – documentation or anecdotal information about areas where you have noticed your child’s developmental differences, including when your child first spoke, difficulties related to diet, and any early childhood interventions.
- Previous test results and reports – if your child has been tested through the school system or other professionals, please bring all of these results and reports to us. Even if we reevaluate your child using the same or similar tests, knowing how they previously performed on these assessments can be valuable.
What Happens After Assessment?
Dr. Mike Rios, assisted by early childhood specialist Lawanna Smith, collects the data from all visits. Then, the information is interpreted by Dr. Mike who will summarize, prepare a report, and meet with the family to finalize recommendations. During your final visit when we’re reviewing these reports, we do our utmost to partner with you to create an actionable plan to get your child the continued support they need to thrive. If you are ever concerned, confused, or questioning our recommendations, please let us know. We are here to help, and our specialists are happy to answer your questions.