After being advised by some family members within the school system and doing some hardcore research of our own, we opted to get our son evaluated through the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) via Babies Can’t Wait. Like many DCSD students, his evaluation took place at the Coralwood Diagnostic Center. The people at Coralwood Diagnostics were nothing short of amazing. And I was impressed at the organization of the center. They functioned like a well-oiled machine.

The process took place over 3 visits (and a phone call because the second visit was quite unproductive, thanks to my sleepy son). The first mostly evaluated his speech — where he was and what he needed extra help with. It lasted roughly an hour and a half. My husband and I were asked to remain in the waiting area during observation and then were asked to the back to answer a few questions and be explained the rest of the evaluation process. That one was the easiest of the three.

The second session was a combination of interviewing and observation of motor and social skills. Because this second visit was so conversation heavy, it was significantly shorter than the first. Involved plenty of play. My son got a bit rowdy so we weren’t able to finish the interview in person. They called me the following week to ask the remainder of the questions needed to determine eligibility of services. Again, easy.

After completing both evaluative sessions, it was time for the third — and final — meeting of the evaluation process: the determination of eligibility and establishment of his IEP. This meeting was the roughest of them all. It was heavy. Difficult to hear.

Not because they told me anything I didn’t know — as his homeschool teacher, I knew my son’s strengths and weaknesses, plus I had an idea of the type of class setting he’d likely need. But it’s always one thing to know that your child has special needs. It’s another thing to have those needs and deficits quantified. I mean, essentially, the evaluation process is a case study being built around your child. They have to know who they’re working with to determine how to help. I get it. I just wasn’t ready.

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