Should my child have a PEDI assessment?

Wondering if the PEDI is right for your child — and what a session actually looks like? Here's the plain-language picture.

In short

The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) is a well-respected, clinician-administered assessment of how your child manages everyday functional skills — self-care, getting around, and joining in daily life — rather than a test of intelligence or a diagnosis. It is most useful when you and the team want a clear baseline of what your child can do day-to-day and how much help they currently need, so progress can be tracked over time. Whether it is the right fit for your child is a decision your Pinnacle clinician makes with you, based on your child's age, profile and goals.

What the PEDI involves

The PEDI looks at function across three practical areas:

• Self-care — dressing, eating, bathing, toileting and other daily routines.
• Mobility — moving around the home, transfers, stairs and getting from place to place.
• Social function — communication, play, problem-solving and joining in with others.

For each area the assessment captures two things: what your child can do (their functional skills) and how much caregiver help they currently need to do it. It is gathered through structured questions and observation, often with your input as the parent — you know your child's daily routines best, so your account is genuinely valuable. There are no pass/fail marks and nothing is timed against other children; the focus is your child's real-life capability and the support around it.

When it helps and when to ask

The PEDI is especially helpful when a child has a developmental, physical or neurological condition affecting daily function, or when a team wants to measure change after a period of therapy. Because it captures both ability and the help needed, re-doing it later shows whether your child is becoming more independent. If your main worry is a specific area — speech, movement, or behaviour — your clinician may pair the PEDI with a more focused assessment. Ask the team how the results will translate into everyday goals at home and school.

The Pinnacle way

Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional., under the care of a qualified clinician — never from a form or an online figure. Our clinicians use validated instruments like the PEDI alongside our own clinician-administered AbilityScore® to map your child against their own baseline, then turn that into a practical plan. Backed by 2.5 billion+ data points and 25 million+ therapy sessions across 70+ centres, the team links findings to hands-on occupational therapy for daily-living skills, so every gain shows up in real life.

Trusted sources

WHO ICD-11 framework for functioning and disability; CDC and HealthyChildren (AAP) guidance on developmental and functional milestones; ASHA guidance on functional assessment and progress monitoring.

Next step — Find out whether the PEDI suits your child. Book an assessment with a Pinnacle clinician and get a clear, re-measurable plan for everyday skills.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.