Developmental Assessment

Description of the Developmental Evaluation Process
Our evaluation process involves the collection of historical, qualitative, and quantitative data and the analysis and synthesis of the information and observations collected into a comprehensive and individualized report. The evaluation process unfolds in different steps.

Intake Interview
The first step is an intake interview with the parent(s). This direct encounter is the opportunity to collect background information, including information about the development and living environment of the child, and his/her medical, school, and social histories. Its aim is to begin to understand the parents' perceptions of their child's difficulties, so we encourage parents to bring up to this initial interview any information they believe could enlighten our understanding of their child's difficulties. This includes past evaluations and treatment reports, relevant medical records, school records, and/or referral letters from other professionals. At the end of this initial intake, we give the parents various questionnaires and inventories to be completed by them and by the child's teacher(s). These questionnaires cover various aspects of the child's behavioral, social, and emotional functioning.

Direct Testing
The next step includes a series of direct testing sessions with the child. We see young children in shorter sessions and only in the morning.

School Observations Most of our evaluations will include a visit to the child’s preschool in order to see him/her in that environment. These visits will also involve a direct talk with his/her teacher(s).

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the measures we may use:

• Bracken Basic Concept Scale, Expressive, English and Spanish
• Bracken Basic Concept Scale, Receptive, Third Edition, English and Spanish
• Process Assessment of the Learner (PAL)
• Pre-reading Inventory of Phonological Awareness (PIPA)
• Test of Early Mathematics Ability, Third Edition (TEMA-3)
• Assessment of Adaptive Areas (AAA)
• Test of Preschool Early Literacy (TOPEL)
• Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
• Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, Second Edition (VABS-II), English and Spanish
• Adaptive Behavior Assessment Scale, Second Edition (ABAS-II), English and Spanish