When to Decide on Getting an Assessment

photo credit: http://www.speechandlanguage-therapy.com/assessment

When I was teaching Kindergarten, I was asked several times by many parents how their child was doing.  Is he participating in class?  Did she recite today?  Did he get into a fight?  Those were samples of questions I get everyday.  Often, I will just smile and say that their child did good, and that there is no problem.  However, there were about one or two times that I needed to ask a parent for a serious meeting.

A serious meeting entails worry, anxiety, doubt, and confusion.  Sometimes, tears fall.  A hug, a handshake...

As a teacher, it is my duty to inform parents if there is a possibility that their child has special needs and needs to be assessed.  Sometimes, you can be met by anger, but this stems from denial and confusion; and of course, sometimes, if you do not speak well.  People do not know, so they do what they do know and that is to act as if nothing has happened.

Please note though, that when a teacher tells you that your child needs help, it is NOT a confirmation that your child has a disorder.  Some children are delayed, and this may be the cause of the worry; but, as what I always think, it is better to be safe than to be sorry.

Early intervention is the way to go in special education.  When a child is diagnosed early, then he gets help early.  This gives us more time to help the child and change some inappropriate behaviors before they get worse.

So, when the teacher asks you for a meeting, be sure to go.   There should be no "what ifs" when it comes to rearing your child.

It is not, however, the duty of a teacher to tell you that YOUR CHILD IS A SPECIAL CHILD or that YOUR CHILD HAS AUTISM (or other disorder).  A teacher is a guide, not a diagnostician.

The most effective person that can see if there is a delay in your child is you as you are with the child most of the time.  You might want to equip yourself with the knowledge of what you have to expect when your child reaches a certain age.

To start with, you might want to check if your child has Developmental Delays.  There are developmental milestones that every child has to meet.  If those were not met, then you call them a developmental delay. Delays are seen in:
      a.  Motor Skills - standing, walking, grasping objects, standing on tiptoes
      b.  Communication - ability to understand and talk
      c.  Cognitive - thinking and analysis
      d.  Socio-Emotional - show appropriate emotions or responses, making friends

A checklist is a very useful tool that evaluators use.  You can find a similar one to diagnose learning disability here.  The CHAT or Checklist for Autism in Toddlers here.  One on ADHD in children can be found here.  There are more checklists that can be found all over the internet, however, the formal diagnosis must come from a certified developmental pediatrician or psychologist.

If you suspect that your child needs to be assessed, you can find a developmental pediatrician nearest you in here:

List of Developmental Pediatricians in Metro Manila
List of Developmental Pediatricians in the Provinces

Remember, not everyone is the same.  A child loved is never lost.  Have faith. :)