Your baby changes and grows so much in this first year. Track your baby’s development month by month, encourage your baby’s learning with our suggested activities . Find practical information on health and safety. We can help you with tips on crying, sleeping or even what to look for when choosing a baby sitter. Have questions about basic care? We have the answers !
Developmental Screening
When parents visit their pediatrician, the two questions that they want answered above all others are ‘How is my baby doing?’ and ‘How am I doing as a parent?’
In
order to give parents an answer, your pediatrician will ask a series of
questions at the ‘well child visit’ to assess your child’s
developmental progress as well as nutrition and recent illnesses.
However, often the few developmental questions asked do not allow for a
complete picture of your child’s development, or for the emotional well
being of you and your child. For that reason, many pediatricians are
following recent recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics
and physicians who specialize in early child development to use
specific developmental screening tools at the periodic well child
visits. The use of these screening tools provides parents with a
complete assessment of different aspects of a child’s developmental
progress.
“These brief assessments designed to identify children who should receive more intensive diagnosis or assessment—can improve child health and well-being, especially for children with autism and other developmental disabilities or delays.
Research has demonstrated that early detection of developmental disabilities and appropriate intervention can significantly improve functioning and reduce the need for lifelong interventions. For example, children with autism identified early and enrolled in early intervention programs show significant improvements in their language, cognitive, social, and motor skills, as well as in their future educational placement.” (www.cdc.gov , 2005)
The developmental screening tools discussed below are a small sample of the many questionnaires available for physicians to use in guiding discussions with parents. We often refer to these discussions as ‘teachable moments’- those instances when a parent’s concerns become the focus of the well child visit. Time may not permit a lengthy evaluation but the use of a questionnaire often provides an opportunity to discuss a concern such as sleep or an eating problem.
Most of the questionnaires are readily available at a reasonable price and may be completed by the parent at the time of the visit. Some physicians prefer to have parents complete the questionnaires at home and bring them to the visit. That allows both parents to participate in the completion and use direct observations of their child.
A good developmental tool must be:
If a concern or developmental challenge is identified, the child may be referred to a developmental specialist. All states have an early intervention program that provides an evaluation of a child’s development. Some developmental delays may be followed up with observations, and frequently the early intervention programs will provide guidance to parents on how they can help their child in the specific areas of their developmental challenge.
In
order to give parents an answer, your pediatrician will ask a series of
questions at the ‘well child visit’ to assess your child’s
developmental progress as well as nutrition and recent illnesses.
However, often the few developmental questions asked do not allow for a
complete picture of your child’s development, or for the emotional well
being of you and your child. For that reason, many pediatricians are
following recent recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics
and physicians who specialize in early child development to use
specific developmental screening tools at the periodic well child
visits. The use of these screening tools provides parents with a
complete assessment of different aspects of a child’s developmental
progress. “These brief assessments designed to identify children who should receive more intensive diagnosis or assessment—can improve child health and well-being, especially for children with autism and other developmental disabilities or delays.
Research has demonstrated that early detection of developmental disabilities and appropriate intervention can significantly improve functioning and reduce the need for lifelong interventions. For example, children with autism identified early and enrolled in early intervention programs show significant improvements in their language, cognitive, social, and motor skills, as well as in their future educational placement.” (www.cdc.gov , 2005)
The developmental screening tools discussed below are a small sample of the many questionnaires available for physicians to use in guiding discussions with parents. We often refer to these discussions as ‘teachable moments’- those instances when a parent’s concerns become the focus of the well child visit. Time may not permit a lengthy evaluation but the use of a questionnaire often provides an opportunity to discuss a concern such as sleep or an eating problem.
Most of the questionnaires are readily available at a reasonable price and may be completed by the parent at the time of the visit. Some physicians prefer to have parents complete the questionnaires at home and bring them to the visit. That allows both parents to participate in the completion and use direct observations of their child.
A good developmental tool must be:
- accurate, both in terms of sensitivity and specificity;
- quick and easy to use;
- flexible for use at each well-baby visit;
- affordable, both at the initial and re-ordering stages. (www.firstsigns.org, 2009)
If a concern or developmental challenge is identified, the child may be referred to a developmental specialist. All states have an early intervention program that provides an evaluation of a child’s development. Some developmental delays may be followed up with observations, and frequently the early intervention programs will provide guidance to parents on how they can help their child in the specific areas of their developmental challenge.
Next: A Summary of Some Developmental Screening Tools
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