|
For Parents
Parents may not be child development specialists, but they are the experts on their child—and research has shown that parents’ concerns are accurate predictors of developmental delays. If you have a concern about your child’s development, trust your instincts.
Even if it turns out that your child is experiencing a typical variation in his or her individual development, it’s better to be sure. The best thing you can do is raise your concern with a professional who is familiar with child development.
Studies have shown that effective, early intervention can make a dramatic difference in the lives of children with developmental delays and disorders. Many parents’ concerns are not validated until their child starts school, when learning difficulties begin to become apparent. Better to check early when your child can reap the benefits of early intervention.
Pediatricians—Often Families’ First Stop
When parents have a concern, the professional they are most likely to approach is their child’s primary care physician. It is important that your child's physician is using a validated screening tool like the Ages & Stages Questionnaires® (ASQ) to be sure he or she is accurately catching children who should receive further evaluation for developmental delays.
Surprisingly, research shows that when physicians rely on their professional observations alone—as most do—they identify fewer than 30% of children later discovered to have developmental delays. But, when they use a validated developmental screening tool, they increase that figure to 70%–80%.
Given the importance of early identification and intervention for children who have delays, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that primary care physicians conduct screenings at well-child visits.
If you have concerns about your child’s behavior or social-emotional development, be sure to also ask your child's pediatrician to conduct screening using the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional (ASQ:SE).
Why Screen?
Because delays can be subtle and can occur in children who appear to be developing typically, most children who would benefit from early intervention are not identified until after they start school. Even pediatricians, the child health specialists, fail to detect delays more than 70% of the time when they rely on clinical judgment alone.
Research underscores the importance of early intervention:
- Developmental delays, learning disorders, and behavioral and social-emotional problems are estimated to affect 1 in every 6 children.
- Only 20% to 30% of these children are identified as needing help before school begins.
- Intervention prior to kindergarten has huge academic, social, and economic benefits. Studies have shown that children who receive early treatment for developmental delays are more likely to graduate from high school, hold jobs, live independently, and avoid teen pregnancy, delinquency, and violent crime, which results in a savings to society of about $30,000 to $100,000 per child.
|
