How to get an assessment for your child

In most cases, a parent’s first step is to get a referral from their child’s doctor. Unfortunately, there are far too many physicians who prefer to take a “wait and see” approach, and this is absolutely inappropriate for a child “at risk” because of his or her birth/developmental history. Parents themselves can also make the referral, so while a physician referral is ideal, it isn’t essential.

If you have a child under the age of 6, you’ll need to connect with your city or county’s early intervention program. You can usually get this information from your child’s doctor, or you can do an Internet search for “early intervention” and your city or county. Although all U.S. programs fall under the Department of Health, they are administered by various not-for-profit organizations with differing names.

When you call the program to request an assessment, you’ll generally be asked for demographic information and the reason you’re seeking the evaluation. In our program, we consider adoption alone qualification enough, but if you happen to live in an area where they may not see as many adoptees (and international adoptees, in particular), you’ll need to explain a bit about the child’s previous living arrangements (if applicable), any known substance exposure, and any concerns you may already have identified. From that point, some programs will send an intake coordinator to your home to perform a screening assessment first, but others will schedule your child for a full evaluation.

For children age 6 and older, evaluation and treatment falls into the hands of the Department of Education. Most school districts have a special services division which overseas evaluations, so calling your local school will likely get you pointed in the right direction.

Evaluations are free, as are the recommended therapies for qualifying children (see the qualifications section, below). Through age three, test scores alone determine eligibility and providing service is mandatory for the early intervention programs (known as Part C services). Beyond age three, services are provided to children with the most substantial needs and there may be some financial qualifications for the parents. Services are generally available through a child’s sixth birthday, but can continue until age 22 for children with qualifying disabilities.

In addition to the above avenues, parents can also seek assessments through private therapists and charitable organizations such as the Scottish Rite, which provides services to families on a sliding fee scale. Universities with training programs for speech pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists also have clinics associated with them. In many instances, the therapists are students who are pursuing their degree and are supervised by instructors. These clinics have substantially reduced rates.

continued