Understanding evaluation results and next steps

At a glance 

• Evaluation results determine what kind of help the school will provide.
• Knowing your child’s exact areas of difficulty allows you to get the right support.
• Kids and their families often have lots of questions about what results mean. 

Your child has had an evaluation, and you’ve gotten the results. Now what? Evaluation results will lead to some sort of action. The school will decide whether or not your child is eligible for supports and services.

Having results can also help you take action. When you fully understand where your child is struggling, you can pursue the right help and support. You might advocate at school for certain interventions, for instance. You might also look into types of tutoring that will address your child’s needs.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult to diagnose because there is no medical test, such as a blood test, to do so. To determine a diagnosis, doctors examine the child’s developmental history and behaviour. ASD can sometimes be recognised in children as young than two years.

When your child begins to exhibit some of the symptoms of autism, it is time to seek an autism diagnosis. As a result, the earlier a youngster is diagnosed with autism, the better. Every child with autism is affected differently. Autism is characterised by a wide range of symptoms. As a result, an early autism assessment will assist you in comprehending the condition’s implications.

Learning the child’s autistic status following an autism assessment might be difficult. Many parents are at a loss as to what to do next. There are a lot of questions to be answered, as well as a lot of confusion. Whatever stage you discover your child’s impairment,

This guide can help you make sense of evaluation results so you can make informed decisions based on what they show.

Understanding the evaluation results

Evaluation results can be confusing. For every answer you get, you’ll likely have new questions. That’s true for school, private, and early intervention evaluations.

Was your child tested for reading difficulties? See how the results can map to instruction and supports.

ADHD evaluations don’t involve testing. But the findings can also leave families looking for greater clarity and next steps.

Get tips on interpreting test results.

Learn why evaluation results may differ.

It can also help to go over an evaluation report with your child’s teachers. Here are conversation starters to help guide you.

If you disagree with the evaluation results

Families don’t always agree with how the school views the results or what it recommends based on them. Or you might think the evaluation wasn’t done correctly.

In either case, there are things you can do when you disagree with the school on the evaluation process or outcome.

See next steps if you don’t agree with the results or the school’s recommendation.

You can also request an independent educational assessment possibly at your own cost.

Talking about evaluation results with your child

Finding out the reason for their challenges can be a relief for many kids. But it’s not always an easy conversation to have. Your child may have as many questions as you do — or even more. They might also worry about what other kids think about special education services.

Read about ways kids react to evaluation results and how you can respond.

Get tips for talking with your child about learning and thinking differences.

Find out what to do if your child says “I’m dumb.”

Your child might be comforted or even excited to hear about musicians, athletes, entrepreneurs, and other famous people who learn and think differently. Share their stories with your child.

Next steps in the process

Once you have the evaluation results, you’ll have an eligibility meeting with the evaluation team. That’s when you’ll find out if your child is eligible for special education services or government funded assistance for supports with NDIS funding.

What if the school says your child isn’t eligible? It might recommend support through intervention services. No matter what happens, you can always ask the teacher about informal supports that might help in class or get avenues for other in class & out of school supports.

What if the meeting doesn’t make the next steps clear? Know the steps you can take.

Was your child privately evaluated? Find out how to work with the school to use those results.

Next steps after an ADHD diagnosis

Once you know for sure that your child has ADHD, you can seek treatment and supports at school. Your child might not be eligible for special education services for ADHD alone, but many kids with ADHD get supports via NDIS after a plan has commenced.

Watch an expert video for more information on ADHD.

Read what one mom wishes people knew about raising a child with ADHD.

Next steps after receiving early intervention evaluation results

Kids who are eligible for early intervention will start getting the help they need before starting school. But what does that look like?

Find out what it means for kids to get early intervention at school through an Individualized learning plan (ILP).

Moving forward and gaining confidence

Your journey with your child doesn’t stop with the evaluation. In many ways, it’s just beginning. From here, you’ll continue to learn about your child’s challenges and how you can be a source of support and advocacy as your child moves toward becoming a thriving adult.

Read about the joy one parent felt as she saw her child regain his confidence.

Key takeaways

If your child isn’t eligible for special education, the school might recommend external private services.

If you disagree with the results, there are steps you can take.

Evaluation results are the start of the next part of your journey: Getting the right support for your child.

You will not be able to reach this aim without the help of others. Talk with an Occupational Therapist Autism for support, especially if you are in the early stages of identification. Talking with other caregivers and parents of autistic children can be really beneficial. Look for occupational therapist autism near me on the internet and seek professional help from doctors, occupational therapist autism, and activist groups.

Article submitted in conjunction with a speech and language pathologist.