This paper describes the concept of dissociation as it might be assessed in children. It compares the measurement of adult symptoms of dissociative disorders in an effort to propose an appropriate, age‐specific evaluation tool for children. The authors review several psychometric instruments that are utilized to screen for the effects of abuse in children. A thorough evaluation of children exhibiting early signs of a dissociative disorder provides the opportunity for prompt diagnosis and proper treatment. The primary impact of expeditious assessment is the significant reduction of the potential for the development of full‐blown chronic trauma symptomatology in adulthood such as multiple personality disor