ICF-CY code set for infants with early delay and disabilities (EDD Code Set) for interdisciplinary assessment: a...

Area of Science:

• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Developmental Pediatrics
• Health Informatics

Background:

• Comprehensive assessment of functioning is crucial for early intervention in infants with developmental delay/disabilities (DD).
• The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health: Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) offers a standardized framework for describing health and functioning.
• A specialized code set derived from the ICF-CY can enhance its practical application in team evaluations for this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an ICF-CY code set specifically for infants under three years of age with early delay and disabilities (EDD Code Set).
• To facilitate initial team evaluations by providing a structured approach to describing infant functioning.

Main Methods:

• A Delphi survey was employed to reach consensus among international professionals.
• Participants included experts experienced in implementing the ICF-CY and professionals from early intervention services in Taiwan.
• The survey guided the selection of relevant ICF-CY categories for the EDD Code Set.

Main Results:

• Twenty-five professionals participated in the Delphi survey.
• A total of 82 ICF-CY second-level categories were identified for the EDD Code Set.
• These categories were distributed across four domains: 28 in Activities and Participation, 29 in Body Functions, 10 in Body Structures, and 15 in Environmental Factors.

Conclusions:

• The EDD Code Set, comprising 82 ICF-CY categories, can serve as a valuable tool for multidisciplinary teams.
• It enables a holistic description of functioning in infants under three with DD during initial evaluations.
• Further validation and clinical utility studies are recommended to confirm its effectiveness.