CDIAT Intervention Process: Assessment and Therapeutic Care

CDIAT Intervention Process

Initial Assessment

A) Collection of Information:

• Initial contact with the family should involve two members.
• Practice active listening to gather concerns, worries, and expectations.
• Incorporate data from other professionals working with the child.
• Organize all information into a common, unique clinical history.

B) Evaluation of the Child and Environment:

1. Observation of the child's spontaneous behavior.
2. Functional evaluation: Qualitative determination of difficulties regardless of etiology.
3. Standardized tests.
4. Observation at home.
5. Medical examinations.

C) Development of Hypotheses and Action Plan:

Consider bio-psycho-social factors at three levels:

• Functional Diagnosis: Qualitative and quantitative disorders.
• Syndromic Diagnosis: Set of signs and symptoms defining the pathology.
• Etiological Diagnosis: Reports on biological, psychological, or social causes.
• Presumptive Diagnosis: Necessary when an etiological diagnosis is not possible (e.g., autism or language disorders).

D) Communication of Diagnostic Information:

Provide information regarding likely long-term prognosis and therapeutic possibilities. A direct approach is recommended, avoiding technical jargon. The process should be descriptive and functional.

E) Feedback to the Family:

Sharing diagnostic information with parents is a crucial moment in the intervention process.

Therapeutic Intervention

CDIAT services may be provided in subsidized or private centers.

• Attention to the Child: Each child receives a comprehensive, individualized program. Parents participate to discover their own resources and strengthen the parent-child bond.
• Family Care: Enabling families to adjust expectations to the real possibilities of intervention.
• Attention to School: Professionals inform the school about the child's and family's situation upon enrollment.
• Intervention in the Environment: Overcoming physical and social barriers to ensure integration into the child's natural surroundings.

Evaluation and Monitoring

Evaluation aims to track changes in the child's development and determine if objectives require adjustment.

• Continuous: Daily assessment to adapt objectives to specific needs.
• Purposeful: Periodic review to determine the level of compliance with established goals.