The evaluation

The next step is a developmental evaluation.

• Your EI program will plan this, and invite a team of different kinds of specialists.

• It can be at your home or somewhere else where your child spends time and feels comfortable. (Like their daycare center or grandma's house.)

• The EI team will assess different parts of your child's development. This includes skills for language, movement, learning, and social behavior.

• It will help decide if your child qualifies for services, and what kinds of support your family will need.

Here's what you can do:

Make sure to speak up about anything different you notice about your child, even if it doesn't seem important!

For example, do they...

• not seem to respond or interact with you in a typical way?

• get overly upset at small things? or rarely smile?

• have sensory issues, like problems with loud noises or the feel of clothing?

• make unusual motions with their hands or body?

If the evaluation doesn't test for something that you are concerned about, make sure to tell the evaluators about it.