A mid-level assessment measure is used
- after screening tests identify probable problems,
- before deciding if diagnostic tests are needed to address specific areas of concern,
- for helping you to monitor your child's development over time, and
- for helping you determine age-appropriate toys and activities for your child.
Screening tests are brief tools that sort children who probably have delays in development, learning, and behavior from children who probably don't. Screens do not give a diagnosis but only tell whether there is a reasonable chance of a problem. So screening tests quickly and inexpensively give you advice and direction about whether more testing, services, or parent education are needed.
The measures we offer on this site have been tested on thousands of children around the country and provide high quality results. Included are:
- Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status: Developmental Milestones - Assessment Level (PEDS:DM-AL): A mid-level assessment measure of development, social-emotional and mental health with 6-8 questions in each of 8 developmental domains (Fine motor, Gross motor, Expressive Language, Receptive Language, Self-Help, Social-Emotional, Academic/Pre-Academic, Cognitive) for children birth to 8 years of age. The results provide you with an age-equivalent score (in other words, at what age level is your child performing in that area of development) and indicate the percentage of delay in each domain. This measure can be taken multiple times as your child grows, and the results can be tracked over time to show how your child's development is progressing.
- Parents' Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS):a 10 question measures for children birth to 8 years of age, that asks parents in their own words to describe their concerns. Some concerns are indicators of possible problems and the need for further testing. Other concerns don't suggest possible difficulties but rather the need for parenting guidance.
- Modified Checklist of Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT-R):a 23 item yes-no screen for children 16 to 60 months focused on detecting possible autism-spectrum disorder.