Developmental Screening

I recently wrote and published an article about developmental screening for parents. The “Message in a Backpack” was published in the journal of Teaching Young Children. In the article I talk about what families can expect during a developmental screening. These resources from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or NAEYC, can support parents and professionals. If interested, follow the link for more information.

Source:

https://www.naeyc.org/topics/174/list

Macy, M. (2022). What to know about developmental screening. Message in a Backpack™. Teaching Young Children, 16(1), 22. NAEYC.

Adapting to Change

Change is inevitable. How we manage changes can set a course for success (Kislick, 2018). An adaptive challenge that may occur in an early childhood setting is learning that the organization will be adopting a new assessment. “UGGHHH” might be the first emotion we are feeling as we think about all the new and different things we will be required to take on because of this new mandate.

This challenge has adaptive elements, because how we choose to react is up to us.

For example, adaptive components to the challenge may be to: gather information, use a growth mindset, remain calm, be positive, work with team to support one another (Bryan, Matson, & Weiss, 2007), and jump into professional development moving forward to implement new assessment with fidelity and confidence.

It is important to address the challenge because change will occur whether we accept it or not (Goodwin, 2015). Accept the challenge and it will turn into an opportunity not a problem (Duncan, 2012). If interested, below are further readings on adapting to change in the workplace.

References

Bryan, L. L., Matson, E., &  Weiss, L. M. (2007). Harnessing the power of informal employee networks. McKinsey Quarterly. Retrieved https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/harnessing-the-power-of-informal-employee-networks 

 Duncan, R. D. (2012). In times of change, “What’s in it for me?” Is the question you need to answer. Fast Company. Retrieved from: https://www.fastcompany.com/3001250/times-change-whats-it-me-question-you-need-answer 

 Goodwin, B. (2015). Getting unstuck. Educational Leadership, 72. Retrieved from www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/jun15/vol72/num09/Getting-Unstuck.aspx

 Kislik, Liz (2018). How to tell your team that organizational change is coming. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2018/08/how-to-tell-your-team-that-organizational-change-is-coming

Me during big changes in my life.

Play Goals

Play skills are an important part of a child’s growth and development. Play is meant to be fun, however in group settings play can be difficult for children. One of the things that might make play a challenge for young children is being able to navigate the environment and social interactions with adults and peers during free play time. “For some children, self-direction is not a problem, but for some children with special needs, especially those with autism, self-direction in relation to play and leisure time may be difficult” (Sundberg, 2008, p. 143).

After observing a child and conducting an assessment, we can create play goals for a child. It would be helpful to select the skills where the child shows emergent behaviors in this area of development.

If a child is having difficulty with self-directed play, here are some instructional targets with corresponding behavioral objectives. Here are some possible play goals for “Marisa” (Bricker et al. 2022). 

1.      During free play time with peers, Marisa will use language to initiate a social interaction with peers at least once a day using words, gestures, motor actions, communication board, and/or cards.

2.      During free play time with peers, Marisa will use language to sustain a social interaction with peers at least once a day using words, gestures, motor actions, communication board, and/or cards.

3.      During free play time, Marisa will use conversational rules when communicating with adults in at least one communicative exchange daily.

4.      During free play time, Marisa will use conversational rules when communicating with peers in at least one communicative exchange daily.

5.      During free play time, Marisa will communicate personal likes and/or dislikes using either verbal or non-verbal strategies with adults and peers.

Once the goals have been created for the child, Marisa, the next phase is for educators to implement instruction/intervention to help the child reach their goals. Mr. Fred Rogers said, “Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.” We can support children as they learn to engage in self-directed play by creating goals for play and then monitoring how the child is responding.

Play

“Play gives children a chance to practice what they are learning.”~Mr. Rogers

References:

Bricker, D., Dionne, C., Grisham, J., Johnson, J.J., Macy, M., Slentz, K., & Waddell, M. (2022). Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS®-3). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Co.

Sundberg, M. L. (2008). Verbal behavior milestones assessment and placement program. Concord, CA: AVB Press.

Intended Purpose

Have you ever tried to make a cup of hot chocolate but when you went to the cupboard you did not have cocoa mix? Well it happened to me. I recently wanted to drink a yummy cup of hot chocolate only to find that there was none in my house.

What’s a person to do?! Well I had some baking cocoa. I thought why not try baking cocoa and see if I could make hot chocolate with baking cocoa.

Hmmmmmmmm????

What a disaster! Do not try this unless you want to have caked on bitter cocoa stuck to your teeth! It tasted horrible.

I was trying to use an ingredient for something other than its intended purpose.

Baking cocoa is meant to go into recipes like cookies, NOT make a delicious cup of hot chocolate.

I learned something important that day and that is to use ingredients and materials for their intended purpose. When I substituted baking cocoa for hot chocolate mix it did not work. Major FAIL!

Similarly, when we assess children we want to use assessment tools for their intended purpose. For example, using a diagnostic assessment would not work well if we wanted to do ongoing assessment of individual children over time to see how well they are learning/developing and responding to their early childhood curriculum and instruction. The best tool for that purpose would be a curriculum-based assessment (CBA). My colleagues and I are publishing a new edition of a widely used CBA called the AEPS3® (Bricker, Dionne, Grisham, Johnson, Macy, Slentz, & Waddell, 2022) for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners. It would be a useful tool if the intention is gather information about children’s development and learning, as well as have a curriculum to use with instruction.

When assessment is used for the intended purpose, results can be meaningful for children.

Source:

Bricker, D., Dionne, C., Grisham, J., Johnson, J.J., Macy, M., Slentz, K., & Waddell, M. (2022). Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS®-3). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Co.

Teaching for Cognitive Growth

A barrier that may prevent or impact children’s cognitive development and growth is when adults/caregivers are in a hurry and do not take time to intentionally create responsiveness in the environment for children. Dr. Stephanie Jones who is an early childhood researcher at Harvard says, “When we talk about cognitive development, we are focusing on those skills that the brain uses to think, learn, read, remember, pay attention, and solve problems. Cognitive skills also support us when we set goals, plan, organize, and persevere through challenges.”

Research studies support the idea that cognition is one of the more difficult developmental areas to promote (Hamre, 2014; Hassinger-Das, Hirsh-Pasek, & Golinkoff, 2017; Hinton, 2017; National Commission on Social, Emotional, & Academic Development, 2019; Weiland & Yoshikawa,  2013; Weisberg et al., 2016). Parents and educators can support cognitive growth by creating cognitively stimulating interactions with children, and then by assessing, goal setting, implementing strategies, and then evaluating the effectiveness of the strategies.

One way to measure how effective we are in teaching children for cognitive growth is by implementing a curriculum-based assessment (CBA). My colleagues and I are publishing a new edition of a widely used CBA called the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System or AEPS (Bricker, Dionne, Grisham, Johnson, Macy, Slentz, & Waddell, 2022). The AEPS3® has a revised cognitive area where we can assess, and also turn to a companion curriculum to help support cognitive development in infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners.

Educators and parents promote cognitive development by creating a responsive environment for children. Project Zero concepts can be used to model visible thinking and thinking routines for children (Project Zero, 2019; Salmon, 2010; Walsh & Rastegari, 2018). Providing children with feedback is an important element that supports growth and learning. For example, asking a child questions which expand on their initial communicative attempts is a form of feedback that leads to learning. Parents and educators can weave in opportunities throughout a young child’s day and routines when we teach for cognitive growth.

Sources:

Bricker, D., Dionne, C., Grisham, J., Johnson, J.J., Macy, M., Slentz, K., & Waddell, M. (2022). Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children, Third Edition (AEPS®-3). Baltimore: Brookes Publishing Co.

Hamre, B. (2014). Teachers' daily interactions with children: An essential ingredient in effective early childhood programs. Child Development Perspectives 11(4), 223-230.

Hassinger-Das, B., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Golinkoff, R.M. (2017). The case of brain science and guided-play: A developing story. Young Children, 72(2). Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/may2017/case-brain-science-guided-play

Hinton, M. (2017). New study touts gains from academic preschools. Education Week. Retrieved from https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/early_years/2017/06/study_finds_academic_preschools_benefit_middle-class_students.html

National Commission on Social, Emotional, & Academic Development. (2019). From a nation at risk to a nation at hope. Retrieved from http://nationathope.org/report-from-the-nation/executive-summary/

Project Zero (2019). Thinking Routines. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/108000553 (4:35 minutes).

Salmon, A. K. (2010). Engaging young children in thinking routines. Childhood Education (86),3, 132-137.

Walsh, B. & Rastegari, I. (2018). Think better. Usable Knowledge. Retrieved from https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/18/02/think-better Links to an external site.

Weiland, C. & Yoshikawa, H. (2013). Impacts of a prekindergarten program on children's mathematics, language, literacy, executive function, and emotional skills. Child Development, 84 (6), 2112–2130. 

Weisberg, D. S., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R. M., Kittredge, A. K., & Klahr, D. (2016). Guided play: Principles and practice. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 25(3),177-182.

Child Find via Mail

Today is my last blog of a four-part series on Child Find activities that are virtual and/or remote. Last month (September), I wrote about doing a virtual home visit for Child Find. In July, I wrote about how to do Child Find using an online system. In May, I wrote about using a phone for Child Find efforts.

The previous three Child Find virtual/remote activities involved some form of technology and/or electronics.  Good old fashioned snail mail will be today’s topic for conducting Child Find when face-to-face options are unavailable, unsafe, or unrealistic.

Connecting children with services is a critical concern in the face of the global pandemic resulting from the Coronavirus. Child Find is a system that focuses on early identification of delays and/or disabilities in children. In America, Child Find has been in existence since 1975 when Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act was passed by congress. Today we call this law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The intent of IDEA Child Find is, “to create and implement a system to actively locate…children with disabilities.” There are many ways to actively locate children who may be eligible for IDEA services due to a delay or disability. One way is through developmental screening through the postal system or mail delivery.

If someone close to the child (e.g., parent, family member, familiar caregiver) has a concern, they can contact their local provider(s) who could follow up on their concern by conducting a developmental screening assessment  via mail. Yes, I said mail. Remember envelopes, stamps, and paper?!?! Are you thinking this sounds outdated? Maybe. Maybe not.

Professionals conducting Child Find efforts from a distance may find the postal service a useful tool as an alternative to face-to-face options. A procedure for Child Find by mail would be where staff mail a developmental questionnaire to the child’s address on record. Parent(s) and/or familiar caregiver(s) complete the developmental questionnaire and mail back to the staff or central location for scoring and feedback.

Special considerations should be made for children and families experiencing homelessness. Three other considerations are: (a) provide postage so parents do not have to worry about paying to mail the return envelope to the Child Find professional, (b) have the correct mailing address for families, and (c) keep in mind that this method of Child Find takes time for deliveries and there could be problems with sending and receiving the physical mail from the postal service. Return rates for questionnaires can be increased with a variety of strategies, for example making reminder phone calls to parents and sending a second questionnaire and reminder if the first one isn’t returned.

For more information, check out the Child Find book (above) and/or a webinar I made called “Child Find: Identifying Children for IDEA Services in a Remote and Virtual Context.” I made this webinar for the Brookes Coffee Chat series and it is now available on demand at the following link:

https://brookespublishing.com/resource-library/child-find-identifying-children-for-idea-services-in-a-remote-and-virtual-context/

Child Find on a Virtual Home Visit

Connecting children with services is a critical concern in the face of the global pandemic. Child Find is a system that focuses on early identification of delays and/or disabilities in children. In America, Child Find has been in existence since 1975 when P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act was passed by congress. Today we call this law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The intent of IDEA Child Find is, “to create and implement a system to actively locate…children with disabilities.” There are many ways to actively locate children who may be eligible for IDEA services due to a delay or disability.

One way to find children who are eligible for community-based services is on a virtual home visit.

If someone close to the child (e.g., parent, family member, familiar caregiver) has a concern, they can contact their local provider(s) who could follow up on their concern by conducting a developmental screening assessment during a virtual home visit. First, staff provide screening tools in advance for parents to review. Some parents may wish to complete screening tool independently, or during the virtual home visit. Staff score questionnaires and discuss results with parents during the virtual home visit. Be sure families have the technology needed to conduct a virtual home visit. Screening materials could be available in the home using things that are familiar to the child. Adequate time is necessary for parents to try and/or observe items with the child. Staff may translate or adapt for cultural, language differences.

For more information check out this webinar called “Child Find: Identifying Children for IDEA Services in a Remote and Virtual Context.” I made this webinar for the Brookes Coffee Chat series and it is now available on demand at the following link:

https://brookespublishing.com/resource-library/child-find-identifying-children-for-idea-services-in-a-remote-and-virtual-context/

Child Find Online

Locating children who need early childhood services is difficult with children experiencing quarantine and social distancing due to the global pandemic resulting from COVID-19. Child Find is a system that focuses on early identification of disabilities in children. There are many ways to actively locate children who may be eligible for early childhood services due to a delay or disability. One way is through developmental screening with an online system.

Online developmental screening may occur where a professional (e.g., healthcare, educator, social service provider, etc.) invites parent(s) of young children to complete questionnaires online. Parents independently complete questionnaires online. The online system scores and generates a report from the results of the screening assessment. A reply (e.g., letter/email/other/text) can be generated for parents whose children appear to be developing typically. Children who are identified as at-risk or whose parents indicate concerns may require a personalized response (e.g., telephone call, video conferencing). For an effective online Child Find system, families need to have the technology needed for online developmental screening activities which may include: access to the Internet or WiFi, electronic device (e.g., computer, iPad, smart phone), and resources (e.g., time, materials, etc.) to complete the screening with their child.

In the selected poems of Langston Hughes he writes,

“The sea is a desert of waves,

A wilderness of water.”

The World Wide Web may seem like a vast and deep sea of unlimited potential. Parents and professionals may be looking for answers. Using online tools may offer a solution when riding the waves of a global pandemic. We are living in a time when people are looking for alternatives to face-to-face services for young children and families. Remote services may include online developmental screening in order to locate children who are eligible for critical early childhood services.  

For more information check out this webinar called “Child Find: Identifying Children for IDEA Services in a Remote and Virtual Context.” I made this webinar for the Brookes Coffee Chat series and it is now available on demand at the following link:

https://brookespublishing.com/resource-library/child-find-identifying-children-for-idea-services-in-a-remote-and-virtual-context/

Child Find Using Phone

Connecting children with services they need is a concern in the face of the global pandemic resulting from Covid-19. Child Find is a system that focuses on early identification of delays and/or disabilities in children.

In America, Child Find has been in existence since 1975 when P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children’s Act, was passed by congress. Today we call this law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The intent of IDEA Child Find is, “to create and implement a system to actively locate…children with disabilities.” There are many ways to actively locate children who may be eligible for IDEA services due to a delay or disability. One way is through developmental screening over the phone.

If someone close to the child (e.g., parent, family member, familiar caregiver) has a concern, they can contact their local provider(s) who could follow up on their concern by conducting a developmental screening assessment with them over the phone. A phone interview would consist of the professional using their developmental screening instrument to guide them in asking questions over the phone.

Questions are derived from the screener. Questions from the developmental screening instrument could be filled out by the professional based on answers provided over the phone by the person familiar with the child.

Considerations for using the phone to conduct developmental screening include: (a) arrange a time for the phone interview that is optimal for parent(s), (b)  allow for the possibility for the child to participate in the phone interview because the parent may need time to interact with the child in order to determine if the child can do a skill, and (c) conduct the interview in the family’s preferred language.

Once the interview is finished the professional could score the screening while the parent is still on the phone and share results, or scoring could be done later and results shared at another time.

Follow up is a critical part of the process and should be done in a timely manner. Follow up with the parent with results of the screening assessment. Share resources and recommendations for next steps.

The phone interview is a strategy that can be used when a remote context is needed like during a quarantine. However, a phone interview strategy to conduct IDEA Child Find can be used anytime when a phone interview can help screen children.

For more information check out this webinar called “Child Find: Identifying Children for IDEA Services in a Remote and Virtual Context.” I made this webinar for the Brookes Coffee Chat series and it is now available on demand at the following link:

https://brookespublishing.com/resource-library/child-find-identifying-children-for-idea-services-in-a-remote-and-virtual-context/

Universal Perspectives

A world class education begins with access to ideas that can transform learners. Higher education must challenge students to reach their full potential. Exploring beyond what students already know to dive into depths beyond the shore of their existing knowledge is the objective of higher education. This semester I went on a quest with our graduate students to learn more about early childhood assessment by hosting an international expert, Dr. Carmen Dionne.

Dr. Dionne shared her ideas and research on early childhood assessment. She brought up so many topics related to the challenges and opportunities we all face as researchers. Faculty in the School of Teacher Education, my Dean and Research Dean, and our talented graduate students in the College of Community Innovation and Education participated in the Research Symposium. Dr. Dionne is Professor at the University of Québec at Trois-Rivières, and she is the sole United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Child Development with a focus on screening and assessment of young children. The purpose of the UNESCO program she chairs is to conduct research in early childhood intervention for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are at risk for developing a disability or have disabilities.

Thank you to Dr. Dionne for coming all this way to Orlando from Quebec. A BIG thank you goes to the University of Central Florida College of Graduate Studies and UNESCO for sponsoring our research symposium with Dr. Dionne. The research symposium with Dr. Dionne has given us the opportunity to reflect upon ways to improve the world for young children and their families.  Reaching past our direct sphere of influence leads to transformation that comes from learning about the immense world around us and global perspectives.

If you’d like to read more about the UNESCO child development chair, follow this link:

https://oraprdnt.uqtr.uquebec.ca/pls/public/gscw031?owa_no_site=1530&owa_no_fiche=4&owa_bottin=

What's New?

Happy New Year! I hope your new year is off to a great start. In 2018, my colleagues and I will be putting the finishing touches on the new edition of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children (AEPS®).

We have been working on the AEPS®-3 since 2005 and I’m thrilled to see it going into production. Early childhood professionals can benefit from having a measure to assess young children that also links to a curriculum that could be used during play and routines. The AEPS®-3 Family component can be used to create positive and engaging partnerships with parents. Some of the most exciting new things in the AEPS®-3 are the early childhood math and reading areas.

Listen in to my iTunes show to hear a conversation with the pioneer of the AEPS® Dr. Diane Bricker (pictured below) talk about how she got started in our field, early childhood theoretical perspectives based on the work of Skinner and Piaget, and the influences and impact of her work in the area of early childhood assessment. 

If you would like professional development on the new AEPS®-3, start now. You can email me at marisamacy@gmail.com to begin. Wishing you all the best in 2018!

Left row: Carmen Dionne (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières), Amy Perkins (Brookes Publishing), Naomi Rahn (Wisconsin DOE), Diane Bricker (University of Oregon), that's me in green - Marisa Macy (University of Central Florida), and I-Ching Chen (Kent State University). Right row: Sarah Zerofsky (Brookes Publishing), Misti Waddell (University of Oregon),  Jennifer Grisham-Brown (University of Kentucky),  Joann Johnson (St. Cloud University), and Heather Shrestha (Brookes Publishing)

Below is a PDF of our “Sneak Preview” my co-authors and I presented at a national conference. 

http://aepsinteractive.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/DEC-AEPS-3-Presentation-2017.pdf 

http://www.brookespublishing.com/resource-center/screening-and-assessment/aeps/

Parental Concerns

Many parents do not know where to turn when they are concerned about their child’s development. In one community I lived in, the lead agency placed ongoing advertisements in the local newspaper that they were conducting a free screening fair the third Friday of every month at the local library. Parents with concerns about their child could visit the library that day and meet a specialist who would conduct a developmental screening during a play-based assessment, as well as have the parent complete a questionnaire about their child’s growth and development. The screening is at no cost to the family or parent(s). Each community has their own way of doing what the law calls, “Child Find.” Community awareness and developmental-behavioral screening assessments are required in order to address parental concerns.

If you are a parent, here are some questions to consider:

Is there anything about my child that concerns me?

What do I hope to find out from the screening assessment?

How would I describe my child to a professional who is unfamiliar with my child or family?

How does my child communicate?

How does my child play?

How does my child participate in routines?

How does my child perform self-help tasks like washing hands, feeding, toileting, etc.?

How does my child use her small and large muscles? 

How does my child interact with familiar and unfamiliar adults?

How does my child interact with familiar and unfamiliar peers?

What are my child’s strengths?

What are some of my child’s characteristics that make me smile or laugh?

What are the best ways to communicate follow up information with me? Email, phone, text, face-to-face meetings, etc.? Do I need an interpreter?

If you would like more information about screening, contact Dr. Macy and/or check out this book:

Bricker, D., Macy, M., Squires, J., & Marks, K. (2013). Developmental screening in your community: An integrated approach for connecting children with services. Paul H Brookes Publishing, Baltimore, MD.

Zero to Three

This week an article was published in the journal, Zero to Three. In it, my co-authors (Drs. Steve Bagnato and Robert Gallen) from the University of Pittsburgh and I talk about ways to assess young children that build on their play and observe them in natural settings. We describe resources that can support professionals and parents. If interested, follow the link for more information.

https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/1580-vol-37-no-1-supporting-parents-and-professionals-to-improve-the-lives-of-infants

Macy, M., Bagnato, S.J., & Gallen, R. (2016). Authentic assessment: A venerable idea whose time is now. Zero to Three Journal, 37(1), 37-43. 

Too Stressed To Be Assessed

Schools across the country are preparing students for standardized testing. Students participate in ongoing assessment linked to classroom teaching. Many students will be assessed to determine if they are eligible for a special education program.

With all this testing going on can children become too stressed to be assessed? Absolutely! Students may not perform up to their potential when their basic needs are neglected. Let us not lose sight of what students need.

Dear Teacher,

Today is not a good day to assess.

Some things have been happening with me, I confess.

My life is an abysmal mess.

I haven’t eaten, I’m tired, and need to convalesce.

What I really need today is a recess.

You are kind and great knowledge you possess.

My strengths and areas of need you address.

By rescheduling you will bring me happiness.

Please hear my plea—today I’m too stressed to be assessed!

Sincerely,

Your Student

Screening with Meaning

Parents and familiar caregivers have a unique view into the window of their child’s learning and development.  

The view from the Santa Maria del Fiore of Florence, Italy from inside Filippo Brunelleschi's dome.

We are usually the first one to notice when something does not seem right. A screening assessment is an initial step into verifying a concern. It is only a snapshot with a limited view. A more comprehensive evaluation may be warranted, depending on the results of the screen, where a bigger picture will be taken. Screening with meaning happens when we use the information obtained from parental/caregiver report and observations.

I just finished editing a special issue on promising practices, models, and research in the early identification of young children with delays and disabilities that will appear in the next issue of the Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis & Treatment. There are eleven journal articles written by experts from around the world in this collection with a wide range of topics related to early detection of delay or disability in early childhood. Three of the articles are international and show what early identification practices look like in Greece, Japan, and Sweden. Other topics range from improving ways to assess children with social emotional difficulties and behavioral challenges to innovative methods for screening young children in remote, hard to reach locations and communities. The innovative ideas in the articles can be applied to create useful meaning out of screening.

To get the most out of developmental-behavioral screening, here are some things parents can do to have a meaningful screening assessment experience.

Before the screening:

• Locate free screening assessment. All states and outlying territories are required by law to offer services free of charge to parents.

• Request alternate language if needed.

• Reflect and jot down your concerns about your child’s development so that you can share them with the professional. Your notes will help you remember everything.

During the screening:

• Participate in the screening assessment with your child.

• Share information about your child with the professional. Explain what you notice him or her doing during: routines (e.g., meal times, sleep, brushing teeth, toileting, bathing, dressing, etc.), transitions, play, interactions with you, your family, peers, and others.

• Bring someone to the screening assessment who can offer you support. Having a trusted and supportive person can help you and your child feel comfortable, and be an extra set of ears to listen to the information given to you by the professional.

• Share your concerns with the professional.

• Ask your questions.

After the screening:

• Find out what the next steps are.

• Implement positive and healthy coping strategies while you wait for the screening assessment results. Waiting for results can be scary. Don’t panic. Screening is an initial stage of gathering information and there will NOT be a diagnosis from this brief screening assessment. The results will either indicate further assessment is needed, or not.  

Meaningful Screening in Action:

A friend of mine who I will call “Aurora” was concerned about her son. He was 15 months old and not walking. Aurora was worried about him. She contacted the early intervention program in her community, and found out they were hosting a screening clinic at her nearby shopping mall. Aurora arranged to have an interpreter because English is not her native language. She wrote down her concerns about her child’s development and brought them with her to the screening assessment.

The day of the screening assessment Aurora made sure her son was well rested and fed. He was comfortable and performed the way he usually does. Aurora shared information with the professional, asked questions, and explained concerns about her son not walking yet. Her best friend accompanied her to the screening assessment for support. When it was over, the professional explained what would happen next in the process.

While Aurora waited to hear back from the professional with results from the screening assessment, she implemented positive ways to cope with her anxiety. She called her brother who always makes her laugh. She went running. Aurora and her son did fun activities they both enjoy. Like going to the swimming pool.

Two days later Aurora got the call from the professional with results from the screening. Aurora’s intuition was right. Her son performed differently from his same-age peers in the area of gross motor. A team of professionals completed a comprehensive evaluation on her son. He qualified for therapeutic services called early intervention. He eventually started walking and getting stronger in all areas of his development. After a year, Aurora’s son exited early intervention services. The delay in his gross motor development was temporary. Today he has typical development. The meaningful screening assessment was instrumental in addressing Aurora’s concerns.

If you would like more information about screening, contact your local early intervention office. This book is also a helpful resource:

Bricker D, Macy M, Squires J, Marks K. Developmental screening in your community: An integrated approach for connecting children with services. Paul H Brookes Publishing, Baltimore, MD; 2013.