It is not always easy to determine whether a child actually has a development disorder or is just developing more slowly or differently in certain areas than other children.
On the other hand, it’s important to detect any real problems and take them seriously. So a thorough examination is essential if there’s reason to suspect that a child has a developmental disorder. This type of examination can be done at:
- a specialized pediatric practice,
- a special practice for speech and voice disorders or hearing disorders in children or a speech therapy practice,
- a psychiatry or psychotherapy practice specialized in treating children and teenagers,
- a center for social pediatrics (sozialpädiatrisches Zentrum, SPZ).
As well as looking at the specific problem the child has, these doctors and health care specialists check his or her overall physical and mental development. They also use special speech, motor skills, reading or writing tests as a diagnostic aid. In addition, they perform various neurological and psychological tests and a sight and hearing test to rule out the possibility of development being delayed due to physical or mental illness.
The parents, and sometimes teachers or other people close to the child, are included in the diagnostic process. Another important aspect is the extent to which the child’s difficulties cause problems in his/her day-to-day life and family life and how much he/she is suffering personally.
Performance-based tests and psychological examinations are never totally accurate. This is especially true with children because the test results can depend on how they were feeling, how well they cooperated or whether they felt under pressure. So it’s even more important that they’re performed by experienced experts and in a suitable environment. There are usually no major problems then.
As a general rule, a child should only be diagnosed with a developmental disorder if certain abilities are significantly less developed than expected for his/her age and if the problems can’t be resolved quickly with a little more support. In addition, the child should have had the problems for some time.