Developmental assessment is a detailed evaluation of a child's or adolescent's development, which contains a comprehensive assessment that needs to be considered. The assessment needs can be physical, moral, social, intellectual, or emotional. Developmental evaluation is essential because it helps in identifying developmental problems that need to be evaluated and diagnosed (Dahl et al., 2018). It also gives a detailed description of the abilities and deficits of the child or adolescent. The assessment also determines eligible programs in case a developmental problem is diagnosed.
The two assessment instruments for children and adolescents are Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) and Strength and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQs). SDQ is a brief questionnaire that assesses children's behavioral developments from the age of 3 to 16 years (Rosanbalm et al., 2016). The instrument has different versions to enable both educationalists, clinicians, and researchers to use it. Besides, SDQ is a 25-questionnaire item that contains either follow up questions and impact supplement or psychological attributes depending on the user (Fevang et al., 2017). Another assessment tool is the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS). It is used for children aged 5 to 19 years. The item contained in this instrument are strengths, problem behaviors, and goals. It is used by clinicians to inform decisions on the level of care, treatment, placement, and referral needs. The two are only used for children and adolescents and not adults because children and adolescents have different levels of understanding and varying needs from those of adults.
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Play therapy is one form of treatment used for children. It is used in treating children between the ages of 3 to 12 years. Children may not be able to communicate and articulate their feelings to their parents or other adults. They are usually in their world. The therapist, therefore, joins the child in their world, which helps them express their feelings. Another treatment tool is Magic Key therapy, where issues that matter most to the child are discussed through drawing and storytelling.
The parent's role in assessment and treatment is to support the progress of children and adolescents basing on the results of the evaluation and treatment. Parents help in deciding which plan will work best for their children by giving feedbacks (Rafferty, 2018). Parents also play the role of ascertaining the highlighted developmental problems.
References
Rosanbalm, K. D., Snyder, E. H., Lawrence, C. N., Coleman, K., Frey, J. J., van den Ende, J. B., & Dodge, K. A. (2016). Child wellbeing assessment in child welfare: A review of four measures. Children and youth services review , 68 , 1-16.
Fevang, S. K. E., Hysing, M., Sommerfelt, K., & Elgen, I. (2017). Mental health assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for children born extremely preterm without severe disabilities at 11 years of age: a Norwegian, national population-based study. European child & adolescent psychiatry , 26 (12), 1523-1531.
Rafferty, J., & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2018). Ensuring comprehensive care and support for transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents. Pediatrics , 142 (4).
Dahl, R. E., Allen, N. B., Wilbrecht, L., & Suleiman, A. B. (2018). Importance of investing in adolescence from a developmental science perspective. Nature , 554 (7693), 441-450.
