Developmental disabilities and delays encompass a variety of areas and are designed to indicate the level of a child’s abilities compared to same-age peers. Some different types of developmental assessments offered by Dr. Renken include evaluating for developmental delays, assessing school readiness, and assessment for the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Developmental Assessment (Ages 2-5)

A developmental evaluation, a play-based evaluation is conducted in conjunction with rating scales and interview data provided by the child’s parents and other caregivers. Areas assessed include cognitive abilities, motor abilities, social skills, adaptive behavior (self-help) skills, and communication. A more in-depth cognitive assessment can be administered to children ages 2.5 and up if requested, though it should be noted that cognitive scores tend to be more stable as an individual gets older.

School Readiness (Ages 3-5)

This assessment is similar to a developmental assessment, with the added component of standardized assessment of academic or pre-academic skills. Behavioral rating scale data is also included in order to identify a child’s social, emotional, and behavioral strengths and weaknesses.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (all ages)

The purpose of this evaluation is to identify or rule out the presence of an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Individuals on the Autism spectrum have significant difficulties in both verbal and non-verbal communication. Children may have speech delays or, in some cases, have significantly stronger than average verbal skills. Social skills such as the ability to make and keep friends, engage in age-appropriate play, and understand the feelings of others are also common. Other common features of ASD include strong adherence to routines, difficulty adjusting to change, and fixation on topics of interest. Assessments typically include a brief cognitive evaluation, measures of adaptive functioning (if needed), behavioral rating scales, language abilities, sensory processing (reaction to visual stimuli, sound, touch, taste, and movement), and behavioral observations. If desired, an academic assessment can also be administered.