When to seek an evaluation
As caregivers, we all have moments of thinking “is this normal?” Of course, we have lists of milestones, and talk with our children’s pediatricians to make sure everything is on track. Milestones are a great touch point, especially in the first year of life, but there is a huge amount of variation in how children hit their milestones.
Evaluations are a way for us to see where a child is in their development more specifically. We look much more closely at a variety of skills so that we can address the strengths and needs of the child right in front of us, rather than just compare a few skills to the “average child.”
I have seen families come in for an evaluation so frustrated because their child has hit every milestone, and their concerns have been ignored. Evaluations have revealed that there are specific skills that can be worked on that significantly reduce a child’s communication-related frustrations, and therefore family stress. I have also seen families who are so concerned their child has not hit every single milestone, but when the child’s language is assessed thoroughly, it is clear that therapy is not necessary.
Evaluations are all about seeking more information. Sometimes that information tells us that we should consider therapy; other times that informations reassures us that we don’t need intervention at this time. I truly believe that reassurance is equally as important as a therapy recommendation.
So, when a family asks me if they should consider an evaluation for their child, we always consider milestones, I ask about skills, and we talk about different interactions the child has on a daily basis. But in my opinion, the most important questions are the following:
How stressed are you about this?
How often are you Googling or asking ChatGPT what is “normal?”
Is your child frustrated by their communication?
Would you feel reassured if a therapist told you that your child does not need therapy?
We live in a time when information is very accessible, but this does not mean that you need to be an expert on child development. If you are concerned, seek an evaluation! Trust your gut! “Wait and see” very rarely makes sense, and early intervention for kids who need it is so important. If your child does not need therapy, you did not waste your time by seeking an evaluation. You had a concern, and sought valuable information.