When concerns arise among parents or caregivers about a child or adolescent having developmental differences, the first step is often to seek advice from the child's immediate environment. If the child is in primary or secondary school, it is best to consult:
- Teachers
- School principals
- Guidance counselors
- School nurses
Additionally, you can also consult:
- Family doctors
- Pediatricians
- Psychologists
These professionals can request an assessment of the child's situation, preferably by a school psychologist who conducts an initial evaluation. School psychologists working at service centres on behalf of the municipality to which the child's school belongs carry out the initial assessment.
How does the initial assessment proceed?
The initial assessment includes, among other things:
- Interviews with parents, inquiring about the developmental, health, and family history.
- Questionnaires for parents and teachers, including screening for symptoms of ADHD and autism, and questions about behaviour and well-being.
- A school psychologist visits the child's school and observes the child in the school environment.
- The child's cognitive development is assessed (WISC-IV).
Once these results are available, the school psychologist meets with the parents to provide a report of the findings. The results of the initial assessment, along with any interventions and advice, are discussed.
If the assessment results point to symptoms that may suggest ADHD, autism, oppositional defiant disorder, or conduct disorder, a referral is made to the Child Mental Health Center (Geðheilsumiðstöð barna) or the National Diagnostic and Counseling Center (Ráðgjafar- og greiningarstöð) for further diagnosis.