How do you know if the child really has a problem that needs professional help? Observe the child carefully, talk to her parents (to be sure the behaviors do not just occur at school), and give a screening test. These are just designed to be quick and easy to administer, and they let you know if the child needs to be referred for a professional assessment.
If your program has policies and procedures in place regarding screening, observing, diagnosing, and serving children with disabilities, follow these procedures. If your program has no set policies and procedures, use the information provided in this workshop to try to develop some. The first three steps if you suspect a child in your classroom has a disability.
Observing – Write down exactly what you see the child do without interpreting it. Do not include your judgments. This observation report provides clear evidence of the child’s difficulties. Show this list to parents and specialists.
Screening – A screening test gives a general profile of a child’s strengths and weaknesses. It cannot be used to determine if a child has a certain disability, but only to determine if a child should receive further testing by a specialist.
Referral - Refer the child for further testing by a qualified specialist. We strongly recommend that the first referral be for a complete medical examination.
