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What Is A Multidisciplinary Evaluation?

A multidisciplinary evaluation is a process that is completed with you and your child by specialists from a variety of backgrounds such as medicine, teaching, and special therapies. The number and types of specialists involved in the evaluation depend on your concerns and the needs of your child. However, at least two people from different specialty areas must be a part of the evaluation team, along with you and your Child Service Coordinator.

Your Child Service Coordinator will help set up the multidisciplinary evaluation and can answer questions you might have. Evaluations can be done in a variety of places and ways. It will most likely involve talking with you about your child, learning about your child by watching him/her play, and working with your child. Because you know your child, you will be a very important part of the evaluation. Your Child Service Coordinator is responsible for making sure that your wishes and concerns guide the evaluation process.

Your family’s concerns, resources, and priorities are important. With your permission, someone on the evaluation team will talk with you about what services and support can help you meet your child’s needs. You can share as much or as little information as you wish.

The multidisciplinary evaluation helps determine your child's eligibility for the Infant-Toddler Program. It also describes your child's strengths and needs. It provides information for your Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). Evaluations are not tests that a child either passes or fails. They are a way of letting you know what your child does well and where he/she needs some help. Information from evaluations can help you choose the best services for your child and family.

Your Child's Evaluation

A multidisciplinary evaluation will consider your child's:

• Medical history and current health status
• Thinking and learning skills (cognitive development)
• Moving, seeing, and hearing abilities (physical development)
• Understanding and using sounds, gestures, and words (communication development)
• Responding to and developing relationships with other people (social-emotional development)
• Learning how to take care of oneself like feeding or dressing (adaptive development)

Evaluation: Your Child And Family Rights

1. The multidisciplinary evaluation that is done when your child is referred to the Infant-Toddler Program must be completed within 45 days of referral and is free of charge to your family.
2. You must sign a written permission form before any evaluations of your child can be done.
3. You should be asked about when and where evaluations will take place before they are scheduled, and you must be notified in writing of the time and location before any evaluations are done.
4. All evaluations must be done in the native language or method of communication used by your child and family, unless it is clearly not possible to do so.
5. All evaluations must respect the ethnic group and culture of you and your child.
6. You have a right to receive a copy and an explanation of any evaluation reports.
7. You have a right to question the results of any evaluation that is done.
   

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