EARLY CHILDHOOD CLINIC AT MIND MATTERS
Developmental Evaluations for Young Children
Worried about your child’s development, but not sure where to start? The Early Childhood Clinic helps families of preschool and early-childhood-age children find clear answers and a practical plan, through focused, neurodiversity-affirming evaluations.
When something feels off, start here.
Parents of young children often come to us with the same pressing questions. Is this just a phase? Is my child ready for kindergarten? Could my child be autistic? The Early Childhood Clinic is designed to answer that question with care, in a way that fits the life of a young family.
Each evaluation centers on your question. It starts with a conversation online, includes one focused visit for your child, and ends with a clear report that explains what we found and the next steps to take.
Is this right for my child?
If any of these sound familiar, an evaluation can help.
-
Is my child developing the way I’d expect, or is something more going on?
Is this just a phase?
My child is bright, but some things seem much harder than they should be. Why?
My child is so active and impulsive. Is that typical for a preschooler?
Are my child’s language, motor, social and thinking skills developing at the same pace?
I’m worried, but I’m not even sure what I’m worried about. Where do we start?
-
My child was premature, had a complicated birth, or has a medical or genetic condition. How are they developing now?
My child had early medical follow-up, but we’ve aged out of those services. Do they still need developmental monitoring?
Could my child’s medical history be affecting attention, learning, behavior or development?
-
Could my child be autistic?
Why does my child have such big reactions to small frustrations or changes?
Why are transitions, getting dressed, mealtimes or leaving the house so hard?
My child does well with adults but struggles with other kids. Should I be concerned?
Why does my child play differently from other children their age?
My child talks a lot, but conversations and social interaction still seem difficult. What’s going on?
-
Is my child ready for kindergarten, or would another year of preschool or TK help?
What should we be watching over the next year or two?
Does my child need speech therapy, occupational therapy, parent coaching or something else?
Should I ask the school district for an evaluation or services?
If one of these questions sounds familiar, a free 20-minute consultation is a good place to start.
Clear answers for your child’s early years.
Neurodevelopmental Evaluation
A clear look at how your child is growing across language, motor, social and thinking skills.
A strong fit for children who were born early, had a complicated birth, have a medical or genetic condition, or have aged out of early medical follow-up and still benefit from someone watching their development. It is also a good place to start when you sense something is harder for your child than it should be and want to understand why.
Autism Evaluation
A careful, caring assessment of whether autism explains what you are seeing.
We look at how your child communicates, plays, connects with others and handles change, and we describe your child’s strengths alongside the areas where support would help. Our approach is neurodiversity-affirming, so the goal is a real understanding of your child and a clear picture of the support that fits.
Kindergarten Readiness Evaluation
A clear picture of where your child is today, and what the year ahead should focus on.
For families deciding between kindergarten, TK or another year of preschool. We look beyond letters and numbers to the skills that shape a good start: attention, emotional regulation, social skills, motor skills and following directions in a group.
Read our article: “Is My Child Ready for Kindergarten? Beyond Academic Skills “
How it works.
Start with a free 20-minute consultation. If the clinic is the right fit, the evaluation takes three steps.
1. Video intake
We start with a conversation online. No office visit needed to begin.
You meet with your clinician by video for about two hours to go over your child’s history, what you are seeing day to day, and the questions you most want answered.
2. One focused visit
The evaluation happens in a single, unhurried day.
Your child comes to our office for one visit, with engaging, age-appropriate activities that let your child show us what they can do.
3. A clear report
You leave with plain findings and concrete next steps you can act on.
Your report explains what we found, what is going well, what it means for your child, and the next steps that will help.
A report written for parents.
Every report is titled for your child and gives you a clear picture of how your child is growing, what it means, and the next steps that will help.
It is written in plain language, so you can read it without clinical training and share it with your pediatrician, your child’s preschool, therapists or your school district.
Each report includes:
What we found: plain-language summaries of your child’s language and communication; play, social and emotional development; and thinking and problem-solving.
What’s going well: two or three of your child’s real strengths, named specifically. Every report leads with what is working.
What this means: a short section that connects the findings into a picture you can hold, including what explains what you have been seeing.
Clear next steps: three concrete steps, with what to do, who to contact and when to revisit.
Meet Dr. Lauren Bangert
Pediatric Neuropsychologist | Licensed Psychologist | CA PSY 35573
Lauren R. Bangert, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist and pediatric neuropsychologist who leads the Early Childhood Clinic. She brings a warm, neurodiversity-affirming approach that looks beyond labels to understand your whole child.
Her training in pediatric neuropsychology and experience in multidisciplinary medical center settings give her a deep understanding of how neurological and other medical conditions affect brain development, which makes her a strong fit for young children with complex early histories. She is especially passionate about helping families understand their child’s strengths and challenges in a way that is accessible, compassionate and empowering.
Fees
Evaluations start at $3,600. The fee varies by evaluation type, and we will give you the fee for your child’s evaluation during your free consultation.
For preschool directors, pediatricians, and therapists.
If you work with young children and their families, we would love to be a resource for you. Dr. Rebecca MurrayMetzger and Dr. Lauren Bangert offer a free 20-minute professional-to-professional consultation to talk through a child you are thinking about, or how the clinic can support the families you serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
A comprehensive evaluation looks at many areas of functioning and comes with a longer report. The Early Childhood Clinic centers on one main question about a young child, with one focused visit and a shorter, plain-language report. If your child would benefit from a broader evaluation later on, we will talk with you about it.
-
You can start with whatever you are noticing. Many parents simply have a feeling that something is harder than it should be. During your free 20-minute consultation, we will listen to what you are seeing and help you choose the right evaluation.
-
Your child spends one unhurried day at our office with your evaluator, working through activities designed for young children. We will share what to expect ahead of time so you can help your child feel ready.
-
Yes. The report is written to be shared with the people who support your child.
-
Yes. Our PC-CARE program for parents of young children begins in December.
Start with a free 20-minute consultation.
Prefer to call? 415-598-8378 (extension 1)
Not sure if it is the right fit? Reach out and we will help you figure out the next step, with no pressure. Let's Find Clarity Together!