Developmental Screenings: Knowledge is Power!

The path to success starts very early in life. Unfortunately, many children have a rough start as many developmental delays and disabilities are often not caught until a child enters school and begins to struggle. It is estimated that one in every six children experiences a developmental delay. However, 20-30% of children with these issues continue to school without the support they need. Autism, emotional concerns, or speech and language disorders may be present; however, they are often not visible and may go unnoticed.

At Little Jewels Learning Center, we know that the earlier a delay is found, and intervention can begin, the better a child's chance for success in school and life. And the best way to detect a delay is through developmental screenings. Therefore, we offer complimentary developmental screenings for all enrolled at our childcare centers. Here's how it works!

We first have parents fill out The Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3), the world's most widely used developmental screening tool. All appreciate it, as it is family-friendly and gains information from the parents, those who genuinely know the child best. Parents with children aged two months to 60 months will answer questions in the following areas:

• Communication: language skills, what your child can say and understand
• Gross Motor Skills: use of arms, legs, and large muscles for sitting, crawling, walking, running, and activities
• Fine Motor Skills: hand and finger movement and coordination
• Problem Solving: how your child plays with toys and solves problems
• Personal-Social: self-help skills and interactions

A child's age clearly impacts the extent and focus of the screening. For infants and toddlers, screening tends to primarily focus on one or two key areas. Infant screenings focus more on cognitive skills such as making sounds, following objects with their eyes, or paying attention to faces. Toddler screenings tend to focus more on the communication and gross motor skills areas.

Along with the categories listed above, an "overall" section asks open-ended questions and lets parents express any comments or concerns. The questionnaires are divided by age, with questions changing every 2-3 months. While it may sound overwhelming; it is a well-designed and efficient tool. It typically takes parents only 15-20 minutes to complete.

We partner with Illinois State University's (ISU) Speech and Language Department, which supports a professional, positive screening process. Graduate students come to our childcare centers with their professors to administer all the screenings for the children. They bring toys and games to engage the students while they perform the screening, which includes task-testing within all areas of the parent questionnaire mentioned above. We typically handle screenings in empty classrooms; however, the screeners may perform a screening in a child's classroom if this makes them more comfortable.

After the screening, the graduate student and their professor will calculate the results. The Little Jewels staff will be contacted with a pass/failure 'grade' for each student within a week. If further screenings or intervention is suggested, the student's parents will be contacted by ISU to discuss the results and offer options.

Developmental screenings are offered twice yearly at Little Jewels, usually during the fall and again in the spring. This is a free service at our childcare centers, and we encourage all families to participate. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact one of our team members. It is a pleasure to help your child reach their full potential!