An evaluation is the first appointment where you’ll meet your doctor (therapist). Before this visit, please complete medical history forms and share your concerns and goals at least 24 hours in advance.

Expect the session to last about 75 minutes, depending on the complexity of concerns, your child’s engagement, and time spent reviewing goals and scheduling.

If your child recently had an evaluation, please share it with us so we can tailor this visit.

Appointments take place in your home or community space—either in person or virtually. We recommend a space that prevents your child from wandering (e.g., bedroom, playroom, or living room). We sanitize all toys before use and will gladly follow your hygiene preferences, including removing shoes and washing hands.

The doctor will review your forms and observe your child’s behaviors, movement, posture, preferences, strengths, and areas for improvement. Because children often behave differently with strangers, we may ask you to demonstrate certain activities if needed. It’s normal for children to feel uncertain or hesitant during these sessions.

Please note that it may be stressful for your child to 'perform,' or try challenging tasks in front of a stranger, and this may evoke feelings of uncertainty. Depending on your child's willingness to participate with a stranger, we may be more hands on, or ask you to step in and show us how they do certain activities with you rather than us.

Each evaluation includes a standardized assessment comparing your child to peers their age. If your child is under 2 and born prematurely, many assessments take into account their adjusted age.

Sometimes, scoring isn’t feasible during the evaluation and will be completed afterward, with results shared at the follow-up. This provides a starting point to track progress—it’s not a reflection of your child, but a tool to guide support in areas of need.

Additional family members, siblings, or pets can stay if they’re helpful—but may be asked to step out if distracting. Please limit available toys and turn off screens or music. Feeding and resting your child beforehand is ideal, but we will accommodate their needs.

You’ll receive a home exercise plan to follow before the next visit. We highly suggest building it into your daily routine for consistency.

It's hard to predict how many visits your child may need after just one hour, but we’ll provide a projected plan. Progress depends largely on consistency with the home program.

If your child is under 18 months and you're waiting for an evaluation, consider our lower-cost virtual program—Confident Beginnings—led by Dr. Nikki Robinett. It includes expert guidance, milestone videos, red flag checklists, and live Q&A calls with Dr. Nikki to jumpstart your child’s progress.