DEVELOPMENTAL ASSESSMENTS

A Developmental Assessment is a structured evaluation of early childhood (3-42 months) development, including physical development, language acquisition, intelligence, social development, and emotional development. Although many aspects of a baby’s and toddler’s developmental are assessed by your child’s pediatrician, additional assessments including standardized and play-based assessments are used to determine if a child is at-risk for, or is experiencing a Developmental Delay. These assessments are utilized to help design interventions for children and for enrollment in Early Intervention services. 

Dr. Tarnoff’s assessments are tailored to a child's age and suspected problem or delay. The assessment typically includes questionnaires and interviews with parents answering detailed questions about your child's growth, physical movements, behavior, play, and interactions with family members and the rest of the world. Additionally, as a follow-up to medical exam, Dr. Tarnoff conducts observations of play, and standardized tests that present your child with certain tasks to determine areas of strength and weakness.

For concerns about social development and Autism Spectrum Disorders and other Pervasive Developmental Disabilities, Dr. Tarnoff is trained in administering the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2). The ADOS-2 can be administered at all age levels (i.e., toddler to adulthood). The Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) is a semi-structured, standardized assessment of communication, social interaction, and play or imaginative use of materials for individuals who have been referred because of possible autism or other pervasive developmental disorders. The ADOS-2 consists of standard activities that allow the examiner to observe behaviors that have been identified as important to the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders at different developmental levels and chronological ages. The ADOS-2 incorporates the use of planned social occasions, referred to as “presses” (Murray, 1938), in which a behavior of a particular type is likely to appear.