Evaluations

Early Intervention & Developmental Evaluations

You Know Your Child Best

As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else. If you’ve ever found yourself wondering whether your child is meeting milestones, communicating effectively, interacting with others, or developing expected skills, you’re not alone.

Many families come to us with questions. Some have concerns about speech, feeding, movement, sensory processing, attention, play skills, or social interactions. Others simply want reassurance that their child is progressing as expected.

At Abilities Therapy & Early Learning Center, we’re here to provide answers, support, and guidance in a welcoming, family-centered environment.

What Is a Developmental Evaluation?

A developmental evaluation is a comprehensive assessment that helps us understand your child’s unique strengths, abilities, and areas where additional support may be beneficial.

Through play-based activities, observation, parent interviews, and standardized assessment tools, our experienced therapists gather information about your child’s development across a variety of areas, including:

Communication and language
Fine motor skills
Gross motor skills
Sensory processing
Play and social interaction
Self-help skills
Cognitive development
Emotional regulation

Our goal is not simply to identify challenges—it’s to gain a complete understanding of your child so we can help them reach their fullest potential.

What Happens During an Evaluation?

We understand that evaluations can feel intimidating for families. At Abilities, we work hard to make the process comfortable, engaging, and positive for both children and parents.

Getting to Know Your Child

We begin by learning about your child, your concerns, and your family’s goals. Parents play an important role in the evaluation process because you provide valuable insight into your child’s everyday experiences.

Play-Based Assessment

Children learn best through play, and evaluations often look and feel like play sessions. Our therapists engage children in age-appropriate activities that allow us to observe skills naturally while keeping the experience enjoyable.

Review and Recommendations

Once the evaluation is complete, we review the results with you in clear, easy-to-understand language. We discuss your child’s strengths, areas of growth, and recommendations for support if needed.

You’ll leave with a better understanding of your child’s development and confidence about the next steps.

What Is Early Intervention?

Early Intervention is a program designed to support infants and toddlers from birth to age three who have developmental delays or disabilities.

Services may include:

Speech Therapy
Occupational Therapy
Physical Therapy
Special Instruction
Family Education and Support

Research shows that children make tremendous gains when support is provided during the earliest years of development. Early Intervention helps families access services that support learning, communication, movement, independence, and participation in everyday life.

How Do I Get Started?

If your child is under three years old and you have concerns about their development, a referral can be made directly to your county’s Early Intervention Program.

Once a referral is received:

A Service Coordinator is assigned to your family.
An evaluation is scheduled.
Eligibility is determined based on evaluation results.
If eligible, services and supports are developed based on your child’s individual needs.

Our team is happy to answer questions and help guide families through the referral and evaluation process.

Why Families Choose Abilities

At Abilities, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive.

Families choose us because we offer:

Experienced Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapists
Family-centered care and collaboration
Play-based, child-friendly evaluations
Warm and welcoming environments
Individualized recommendations
Strong communication and ongoing support

Most importantly, we see the whole child rather than a diagnosis or a delay.

We’re Here to Help

If you have concerns about your child’s development, don’t wait to ask questions. Early support can make a meaningful difference, and we’re here to help every step of the way.

Whether you’re looking for answers, reassurance, or guidance, our team is ready to partner with your family.

Every child has unique abilities. Together, let’s help them shine.

Developmental Milestones: Birth to Five Years

Watching Your Child Grow, Learn, and Thrive

Every child develops at their own pace. While children reach milestones in different ways and at different times, developmental milestones can provide helpful guidance as your child grows.

Milestones are skills most children achieve within a certain age range. They include how children move, communicate, play, learn, interact with others, and develop independence.

At Abilities, we believe milestones are about understanding development and identifying when additional support may be helpful.

Birth to 12 Months

Toddlers are becoming more independent and are rapidly developing communication and movement skills.

Many toddlers begin to:

Walk independently
Follow simple directions
Use words to communicate wants and needs
Point to objects and pictures
Imitate actions and sounds
Explore through play
Show affection toward familiar people
Begin feeding themselves and assisting with dressing

2 to 3 Years

Children become more social, communicative, and active explorers of their world.

Many children begin to:

Combine words into short phrases and sentences
Follow two-step directions
Run, climb, jump, and explore confidently
Engage in pretend play
Identify familiar objects and body parts
Begin playing alongside and with other children
Express a variety of emotions
Develop increasing independence with daily routines

3 to 4 Years

Preschoolers continue building language, social, and problem-solving skills while becoming more independent.

Many children begin to:

Speak in longer sentences
Ask questions and engage in conversations
Follow multi-step directions
Participate in imaginative play
Share and take turns with support
Draw simple shapes and pictures
Dress with minimal assistance
Navigate playground equipment with confidence

4 to 5 Years

Children are preparing for kindergarten and developing skills that support learning, friendships, and independence.

Many children begin to:

Communicate clearly with familiar and unfamiliar listeners
Tell simple stories and answer questions
Recognize some letters, colors, and numbers
Follow routines and classroom expectations
Participate in cooperative play
Use scissors and writing tools with increasing control
Dress independently
Demonstrate problem-solving and self-help skills

When Should I Be Concerned?

Every child develops differently, and reaching milestones slightly earlier or later is often perfectly normal.

However, you may want to speak with a professional if your child:

Is not meeting expected developmental milestones
Has difficulty communicating or understanding language
Shows challenges with movement, balance, or coordination
Has difficulty interacting with others
Struggles with sensory experiences
Loses skills they previously demonstrated
Seems frustrated when trying to communicate or participate in daily activities

Trust your instincts. Parents are often the first to recognize when something feels different.

Early Support Makes a Difference

The early years are a time of incredible growth and development. Identifying concerns early allows children to receive support during the years when their brains are developing most rapidly.

Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, developmental services, and family support can help children build the skills they need to communicate, learn, play, and participate confidently in everyday life.