Thank-you for completing the intake & consent forms for your upcoming appointment.
If you've been referred but haven't yet received your intake forms please contact us.
If you are waiting for a developmental / mental health diagnostic assessment. Please review the following next steps:
Review the resources section to set up supports for yourself & your child/youth. You don't need to wait for an assessment, there is a lot of support is available while awaiting an assessment. Click here for resources for parenting supports, counselling supports, setting up your child/youth with 1:1 supports. There are also recommended resources for learning more about a variety of developmental and mental health conditions.
Most resources you can self-refer or access online. A few resources require referral, please review with your primary care provider to arrange these referrals.
2. Send your child/youth's teacher the link to complete the teacher assessments forms. It is important to understand how your child does at school to assess their development.
3. Book follow up with your primary care provider and your child/youth to review sleep, nutrition, exercise, screen use. For any mental health or neurodevelopmental condition an important part of care is to ensure healthy living habits. However, it is harder for children and youth struggling with behavioral or mental health conditions to achieve these goals. Working with your primary care team to make small changes can increase coping skills and make a big impact on quality of life for your family.
It is important for your primary care provide to meet with your child/youth in person while they are awaiting an assessment with the pediatrician. They should review their growth & a general medical review.
While waiting for the assessment review the healthy living goals below to support your child/youth's mental health and development
4. Make sure your routine health screening is up to date - other health problems can affect development & mental health.
Book an appointment with optometry annually to review your child's vision. Vision concerns can exacerbate any mental health or behavioural concern. One appointment per year is covered by MSP - https://bc.doctorsofoptometry.ca/patients/msp/#
If you are concerned about your child's ability to hear - self refer to public health for a hearing assessment - https://www.vch.ca/en/location-service/audiology-services-squamish-community-health-centre
Book regular dental reviews - cavities can cause pain that can worsen mental health or behaviour.
If your income is < $42,000 you're eligible for additional funding for dental/optometry benefits through Healthy Children BC - https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/family/child-teen-health/dental-eyeglasses
If your income is < $90,000 and you have no other dental coverage - apply for the Canadian dental program, applications being accepted for children < 18 years old - https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan.html
Immunizations - annual flu / covid 19 vaccines are available for children/youth
Contact public health if your child is behind on immunizations & you'd like to arrange catch up. Information about vaccines & schedules for vaccination - Immunization for children (0 to 18 years) | Immunize BC
5. Register for fair pharmacare
Medications may or may not be recommended at the diagnostic assessment or by your primary care provider. Ahead of needing any medications - all families should check if they registered for fair pharma care (requires manual registration separate from MSP) - fair pharma care they will adjust the cost of medications based on your income, without registering pharmacare assumes you make the maximum income possible - https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/health-drug-coverage/pharmacare-for-bc-residents/who-we-cover/fair-pharmacare-plan
6. Book a follow up with your primary care provider for 1-2 weeks after the assessment to review recommendations & next steps.
What to expect at a pediatric diagnostic assessment?
A pediatrician will meet with you & your child/youth in person to discuss your concerns. They may also want to speak with you on your own (usually a phone call arranged after the appointment) and / or the youth on thier own (during the appointment). They will do a medical review & a physical exam. They will provide diagnoses and recommendations for treatment to you & your primary care provider.
A general pediatrician can diagnose and provide recommendations for:
Medical & genetic conditions
Healthy life style recommendations to support mental health & development (sleep, nutrition, exercise, screens)
Mental health diagnoses (for example general anxiety, social anxiety, depression, OCD, selective mutism, phobias, panic attacks, eating disorders)
Causes for motor skill or speech delay
ADHD
Normal development
A general pediatrician cannot diagnose to following conditions, but can provide screening assessments & discuss with you if any of these diagnoses are a concern and whether or not subsequent assessments are recommended. They can provide referrals as needed. Some families move forward with these assessments prior to seeing the pediatrician.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)
Learning disorders
Intellectual disability
Complex mental health conditions rare in childhood (bipolar, psychosis)
How to diagnose learning disorders, gifted profile or intellectual disability - Requires a psychologist to diagnose
About learning disorders: https://www.ldac-acta.ca/learn-more/
If diagnosed with any of the above diagnoses then your child is eligible for an individual learning plan at school. For intellectual disabilities they can receive additional supports through child youth supported needs program - Intellectual disabilities - Province of British Columbia
The school psychologist can do publicly funded assessment. Ask the school based learning team to arrange. However wait times can be long and it is priority based. If the wait times are too long it can be arranged privately as well through a psychologist.
Funding private assessments
extended health benefits often pay for parts of the assessment
For families earning < $85,000 - can apply for variety funding for the assessment ; the assessment needs to be done by a Variety Partner provider therefore you need to contact a provider to go on their waitlist & apply for the funding separately https://www.variety.bc.ca/support/assessments/
Squamish Nation children/youth - the Shewaynewas program can arrange assessments for Squamish Nation members https://www.squamish.net/divisions/people-services/child-family-services/shewaynewas/
Indigenous children/youth: Funding available through Jordan's Principal can be used to fund assessments
https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1568396042341/1568396159824
https://www.squamish.net/divisions/people-services/child-family-services/jordans-principle/
How to diagnose autism- To be diagnosed with autism in BC it requires a standardized autism assessment by a qualified assessor (developmental pediatrician, psychologist, psychiatrist who has completed specific training)
About Autisms (signs and symptoms) https://keltymentalhealth.ca/autism-spectrum-disorder
About the assessment process: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/health/managing-your-health/child-behaviour-development/support-needs/autism-spectrum-disorder/diagnosis/how-autism-is-diagnosed
Workshop waiting for assessments: https://www.autismbc.ca/programs/learning/waiting-for-assessment/
If diagnosed with autism $6000/year for school aged children & $22,000/year for children under 6 years old is available to support paying for therapies. School age children are eligible for an individual education plan & the school receives additional inclusion funding to support inclusion of all children at the school.
This is publicly available through Sunnyhill - requires your primary care provider or pediatrician to refer you. Wait times 2-2.5 years.
There are also private assessments available but it must be a qualified assessor to qualify for autism funding supports post diagnosis
extended health benefits often pay for parts of the assessment
For children 4 and under & their families earning < $85,000 - can apply for variety funding for the assessment ; the assessment needs to be done by a Variety Partner provider therefore you need to contact a provider to go on their waitlist & apply for the funding separately https://www.variety.bc.ca/support/assessments/
Squamish Nation children/youth - the Shewaynewas program can arrange assessments for Squamish Nation members https://www.squamish.net/divisions/people-services/child-family-services/shewaynewas/
Indigenous children/youth: Funding available through Jordan's Principal can be used to fund assessments
https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1568396042341/1568396159824
https://www.squamish.net/divisions/people-services/child-family-services/jordans-principle/
How to diagnose FASD - requires multi-disciplinary team assessment
Publicly available assessment available through Sunny Hill - Complex behavioral and developmental conditions, requires pediatrician referral
While waiting for assessment can access supports via the key worker program: the key worker works with families whose children could have been exposed to alcohol or drugs before they were born. Key workers will help you develop a support plan and help advocate for your child. https://www.sscs.ca/fasd-key-worker-program/
Private assessments are also available
extended health benefits often pay for parts of the assessment
Indigenous children/youth: Funding available through Jordan's Principal can be used to fund assessments
https://www.squamish.net/divisions/people-services/child-family-services/jordans-principle/
What is available through the school?
The school district has physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy available. Usually they do assessments & provide recommendations to the classroom teachers & educational assistants for supporting the child/youth.
The school district has pychology services available for pychoeducational assessments. There are limited number available each year and prioritized based on the needs of the child.
District based supports: https://www.sd48seatosky.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1129213&type=d&pREC_ID=1383789
School based supports:
https://www.sd48seatosky.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1129213&type=d&pREC_ID=1383788
About inclusive education categories - to understand if your child qualifies for a designation & individualized learning plan (IEP)
https://www.sd48seatosky.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1129213&type=d&pREC_ID=1384221
About individualized learning plans (IEP's)
https://www.sd48seatosky.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=1129213&type=d&pREC_ID=1383791
A guide about IEPs from the BC parent advisory council: IEPs