DEVELOPMENTAL EVALUATIONS

As a parent herself,  Dr. Cherwony understands what it is like to be concerned and worry about your child. At an early age, there is a wide range of what is considered normal development.  However, there are also definite blocks of time when most children will meet a milestone.  A developmental delay is when your child does not reach his/her developmental milestones within the expected time-frame. These delays can affect your child’s functioning in terms of his or her physical, cognitive, speech or language, fine and gross motor skills, social and emotional as well as overall behavior.   In the event that the delay is ongoing, early intervention is key in order to help your child reach his or her full potential.

A Developmental Evaluation is conducted when there are concerns about a child’s development and there is a need to either diagnose or rule out Autism, Asperger’s, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder and other Pervasive Developmental Delays.

Since each child is unique and can present with different symptoms, it’s important to have a comprehensive evaluation in order to determine if a diagnosis does in fact exist. Dr. Cherwony works with a multidisciplinary team of professionals to help identify the child’s strengths, assess overall functioning and needs of the individual, provide accurate diagnosis, if applicable, so that the appropriate treatment recommendations can be made. A thorough evaluation ensures that the child receives the appropriate intervention.

Studies show that children who are diagnosed early and who participate in the appropriate intervention programs have better outcomes. A comprehensive developmental evaluation consists of an in-depth interview with parents, review of previous records, standardized assessment including gold-standard tests such as the ADOS-2 and ADI-R, school observation or consultation, evaluation for speech and language and occupational therapy, a feedback session with parents, and a written report detailing diagnostic impressions and recommendations.