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Developmental screening
David Rydz1, Michael I Shevell, Annette Majnemer
1Department of Neurology/Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC.
Insights
Developmental screening is crucial for identifying developmental disabilities in children, as routine surveillance alone is insufficient. Screening tests significantly enhance early detection and enable timely intervention for affected pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric developmental health
- Early childhood development screening
- Public health surveillance
Background:
- Developmental disabilities affect an estimated 5-10% of children.
- Current developmental surveillance methods are often ineffective for timely identification.
- Early detection is critical for improving outcomes in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the properties and available tools for developmental screening in children.
- To evaluate the efficacy of intervention programs for developmental delays.
- To highlight the importance of developmental screening as an adjunct to surveillance.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of developmental screening properties and tools.
- Evaluation of existing developmental screening tests.
- Analysis of intervention program efficacy data.
Main Results:
- Developmental screening tests significantly improve the identification rate of children with suspected delays.
- A variety of screening tools are available for clinical use.
- Intervention programs are a necessary prerequisite to justify screening efforts.
Conclusions:
- Developmental screening is essential for identifying pediatric developmental disabilities.
- Screening complements routine surveillance, leading to more effective early detection.
- Evidence supports the efficacy of intervention programs, underscoring the value of screening.
Abstract:
An estimated 5 to 10% of the pediatric population has a developmental disability. The current strategy to identify these children is through developmental surveillance, a continuous procedure in which the health professional observes the infant, takes a developmental history, and elicits any concerns that the caregiver might have. However, identification of delayed children is ineffective when based solely on routine surveillance. A necessary adjunct is developmental screening: the process of systematically identifying children with suspected delay who need further assessment. Screening tests greatly improve the rate of identification. With the advent of intervention programs and the support of organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics, the topic of developmental screening is a timely and essential one. This review aims to describe the properties of screening tests, to evaluate the available tools for developmental screening while providing a representative sample of the currently available developmental tests, and, finally, to evaluate the efficacy of intervention programs, a needed prerequisite to justify screening.
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