What is a Diagnostic Assessment?
A diagnostic assessment aims to see if the individual being assessed meets the criteria or demonstrates behaviors or symptoms that would meet the criteria for a formal diagnosis. Families are often seeking answers about whether their child has a certain condition, want a second opinion after their child has already been given or hasn’t been given a diagnosis by another evaluator, or are wanting answers to why their child is or is not acting or developing in a certain way. Diagnostic assessments identify areas that the client would benefit from additional support or services of some sort, and given their strengths, what may be the best approach or type of services and supports to teach them new skills. Diagnostic assessments also determine medical necessity for conditions like autism spectrum disorders.