Preschool Developmental Screening Tests
Methods for Screening for Developmental Delay in Preschoolers
May 6, 2009
Developmental screening is a procedure designed to identify children who should receive more intensive assessment or diagnosis for potential developmental delays [National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, 2005].
In preschool, developmental screening tests attempt to screen and identify developmental or behavioral problems in children age 3-5 years. These tests help supports early identification and intervention of developmental issues.
Developmental Screening Methods
There are many different methods of evaluation. “Most commonly, a child will receive a measure of cognitive functioning, such as an IQ test. This attempts to provide a general description of how a child will perform on certain types of verbal and non-verbal tasks,” explains Dr.Pio Andreotti, New York neuropsychologist [Interview, April 2009]
An IQ test measures vocabulary skills, block building skills, conceptual thinking and problem solving. Preschool aged children are also given tests of language development, learning and academics (letters, colors, numbers, etc), memory, organization and planning, fine and gross motor skills, and sensory-integration (how they tolerate sensory information). All of these tests compare a child to other children in their age range.
Parents are then provided with scores describing their child’s performance. For instance, if a child’s score was at the 50th percentile, this indicates that he or she is functioning above 50% of the children in their age range. Parents are also asked to complete forms that attempt to determine a child’s level of adaptive functioning such as self-care, communication, socialization skills.
There are also forms that assess specific behaviors such as attention and hyperactivity, social language and behavior, as well as organization and self-regulation skills, according to Dr. Andreotti. Occasionally, the current daycare or childcare provider is also asked to complete these forms. This information is then compiled and an educational plan is generated, if necessary.
Preschool Developmental Screening Tests
There are a wide variety of developmental screening tests for preschoolers. Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist, sensory specialist, and CEO of Zone’in Programs, Inc. describes the tests commonly administered in British Columbia, Canada along with the health care professionals that usually administer them [Interview, April 2009]:
Physicians
- Parents Evaluation of Developmental Status (parent concerns regarding child development)
- Ages and Stages Questionnaire (communication, gross and fine motor, problem solving, personal-social)
- Brigance Screens (speech-language, motor skills, readiness, general knowledge)
- Bayley Infant Neurodevelopomental Screen (screen for high risk infants)
Physical therapists
- Bruininks Test of Motor Proficiency (Gross Motor Composite) measures
- Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2, Brigance Screen
- Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II (neurodevelopment)
Occupational therapists
- Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (proprioceptive, tactile and vestibular integration)
- Bruininks Test of Motor Proficiency - Fine Motor Composite (response speed, visual motor, bilateral integration)
- Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (foundation, coordination, verbal, nonverbal and complex task skill)
- Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2
- Test of Visual Motor Skills-2
- Sensory Profile (sensory processing, modulation, and behavioral and emotional responses)
- Clinical Observations of Motor and Postural Skills-2 (motor coordination)
- Berry Developmental Test for Visual Motor Integration
- Developmental Test of Visual Perception-2
Speech and Language Pathologists
- Test for Auditory Comprehension of Language - Revised (understanding of word classes e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, grammatical morphology and sentence structures)
- Beery Picture Vocabulary Test (expressive vocabulary by requiring the naming of pictures)
- Preschool Language Assessment Instrument (use of varying length of abstract language)
- Structured Photographic Expressive Language Test (expressive grammar)
Developmental screening tests are critical to early identification and proper intervention of developmental delays. Preschools should support the use of well-validated and standardized screening tools as a critical way of obtaining information that will enable them to support childrens’ best development.
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