Risks of Not Screening

The Benefits of Screening

Developmental screenings can helps you to understand where children are developmentally and can guide your CASA recommendations by reflecting children's needs. If a parent/caregiver is concerned that their 12-month-old child is not walking, a screener can provide the developmental information regarding what typically happens in a child’s development between 12 – 14 months and whether or not the child is meeting that milestone.

Screeners also aid in monitoring the development of a child who is at risk for developmental delays resulting from biological risk factors (low birth weight, prematurity, seizures, serious illness) or from environmental risk factors (poverty, parents with developmental delays, history of abuse and/or neglect in the home, or teenage parents).

They also promote parent/caregiver collaboration by involving them in the process and making them aware of what their children need developmentally. A simple screener can help the CASA begin a conversation with the parent/caregivers by providing a helpful framework to open discussion about their children’s development.

Risks of Not Screening

Under-detection of delays and challenges is due to the subtle and emerging nature of children's difficulties. For example, many children with disabilities walk, talk, and eventually read, but not as well as what is necessary for school success and social emotional competence. The risk of not screening children as early as possible increases misunderstanding of children’s behaviors, incorrect treatment recommendations, and can cause stress on the parent/caregivers and families if they don’t understand their children’s behaviors.

Many times behavioral issues are the first signs of a developmental delay. Screening will help give parent/caregivers the first step to understanding their children’s behaviors and help them get therapeutic services for their children.

Failure to detect and refer children with difficulties means that most children do not receive the benefits of early intervention. Early intervention greatly increases the likelihood of doing well in school, graduating high school, holding a job, living independently, avoiding teen pregnancy and can decrease violent behaviors.

When delays go untreated or undiagnosed, they can cause a domino effect on other aspects of a child’s development. Undiagnosed delays can lead to a misinterpretation of a child’s behavior and can place the child at risk. Parent/caregivers may develop negative feelings about their own abilities to parent or nurture their children. Untreated delays can also create distance within the parent/caregiver relationship and with siblings and other family members.

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