Assessing Children for Disabilities

Assessment is the process of collecting information about what young children know and can do for the purposes of decision making. When a parent, medical professional, or teacher suspects that a young child is developing slowly or in ways that would be considered atypical, an assessment is conducted to determine whether a disability is present. This entry discusses considerations related to the assessment of young children to determine the presence of one or more disabilities. These same assessments also often determine eligibility for services, such as early intervention services for children from birth to 3 years old and early childhood [Page 85]special education services for 3- through 5-year-olds provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).