Introduction
Developmental assessment is a multi-disciplinary process of gathering and interpreting information about a child’s development. This process involves a comprehensive evaluation of the child’s physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills from birth through adolescence. The goal of developmental assessment is to provide a detailed understanding of the child’s strengths and weaknesses and to identify any areas of possible delay or atypical development so that appropriate interventions or referrals can be made.
Methods
Developmental assessment typically involves collecting information from multiple sources, such as the parents, teachers, and care providers, to obtain a comprehensive picture of the child’s functioning. Depending on the child’s age, a variety of standardized tests may be used to measure physical, cognitive, language, and social-emotional skills. These tests may include measures of gross motor, fine motor, and perceptual skills, as well as measures of language, attention, memory, problem solving, and social-emotional functioning. In addition to standardized tests, observation of the child in various contexts and interviews with parents and other caregivers can provide valuable information.
Results
Developmental assessment results provide a snapshot of the child’s current functioning in each of the developmental domains and can be used to monitor a child’s progress over time. If a delay or atypical development is identified, the results can be used to formulate an appropriate intervention plan or to make a referral for additional services.
Conclusion
Developmental assessment is a comprehensive process that can provide a wealth of information about a child’s current functioning in multiple domains. It is a valuable tool for monitoring a child’s progress over time and for identifying areas of delay or atypical development.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2017). Developmental surveillance and screening of infants and young children. Pediatrics, 140(1), e20171891. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-1891
Case-Smith, J., & O’Brien, J. (2015). Occupational therapy for children (7th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. (2014). Developmental assessment. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/positiveparenting/developmental-assessment.html