Responding and Identifying to Developmental Delay in Children

This paper specialises in the diagnosis of children with developmental delays and behavioural difficulties. This is important as parents often bring their child’s behaviour or development issues to paediatric providers first. Over 1/3 of paediatrics visits involve questions in these areas. Fifteen per cent of children are diagnosed with developmental disabilities, and yet only 3% receive early intervention services before the age of 3. Early identification of developmental delays and appropriate referral to early intervention can lead to better outcomes for children and for society as a whole. Only a small percentage of developmental issues are identified before a child enters school. Primary care doctors can make a difference in identifying children at an early age. INTRODUCTION: Disabilities affect more than one billion people in the world. Nearly one in four people in the United States is affected by a disability. Mental illness affects 1 in 5 people in the first 18 years of a child’s life. These developmental and behavioural issues are so prevalent, that paediatrics is certain to interact with children and family members with these conditions. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this paper is to help differentiate developmental screening from developmental surveillance, discuss the American Academy of Paediatrics recommendations for routine developmental screening and surveillance, and develop a plan for implementing them in your practice setting. Additionally, the paper covers interpreting and implementing routine developmental screening in a clinician's practice, describing eligibility criteria for Early Intervention services, and understanding what services are available through Early Intervention. Lastly, this paper covers in great detail and depth recognizing when and how to make Early Intervention referrals in a clinician's geographic area, reading and explaining an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), effectively communicating with and supporting families through the process of developmental screening and making Early Intervention referral. METHODS: A case study that is provided by Stanford University is presented of an 18-year-old boy called Trevor who displayed risks of potential developmental delays and went through developmental surveillance and screening to detect potential development delays. The MCHART-R was utilized with 20 questions with Yes or No as the option to answer where Yes is a typical response and No is the response the answer where the child may show potential risk. However, questions 2, 5, and 12 are reverse scored meaning No is a typical response and Yes is the response where the child shows risk. The screening results of Trevor are revealed in this paper as well as discussed. On the basis of a mixture of the case study, independent research by the faculty, and additional sources, this research was issued and explored. RESULTS: Trevor’s parents were concerned as the only words Trevor is able to speak are “mama” and “dada" and are concerned about Trevor’s risk of possible language delays. The M-CHART-R of Trevor’s results has 3 at-risk responses with questions 5, 8, and 12 answering No indicating potential risk for developmental delay. After evaluating Trevor, it was concluded that Trevor presented a moderate risk of developmental delay and should be followed up with additional questions. As the primary concern for Trevor is his speech and language. Upon review by the clinician assigned to Trevor’s case, it was concluded that Trevor was not at risk for autism. However, a follow-up appointment was required in terms of Trevor’s speech and language. CONCLUSION: This paper is designed to help physicians, paediatrics, and other medical professionals as well as any individuals understand the importance of using developmental screening and surveillance at recommended intervals, and how to refer to early intervention services when indicated. One of the primary aims of this paper was to increase awareness and give the tools, language, and the desire to identify developmental issues early. It should also be known when and where to refer the patients. In addition, helping children who one may know in working with their developmental delays and disabilities