special education evaluations
Psychiatric Evaluation
WHAT – Evaluates a child for potential emotional, behavioral or developmental disorders by gathering information about the child’s symptoms, medical history, behavior and family history through interviews, behavior scales and tests of social-emotional functioning. While a psychiatric and psychological evaluation may include many of the same measures, this is conducted by a medical doctor who is a psychiatrist, who can prescribe medication if needed.
WHY – Determines whether a child has a mental health disorder and makes recommendations for treatment, which may include accommodations or services in the school setting.
WHEN – Refer a child for a psychiatric evaluation when there are concerns about the child’s behavior, such as aggression, hyperactivity, sexual acting out, self-injurious behavior or a marked change in behavior, or concerns about the child’s emotional functioning, such as severe anxiety, sustained depression, mood swings, or strange or unusual thoughts and feelings. *
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