In Pediatrics, Nova Scholar Christina Bethell and coauthors examine how developmental screening and follow-up are measured for young children in the United States.
Researchers sought to identify tools that can help detect developmental concerns early and connect children to support. They analyzed dozens of studies and reports and identified more than 120 measures used to assess whether children receive developmental screenings and follow-up care. Many of these measures were found to be reliable, valid, and user-friendly, particularly in pediatric healthcare settings. However, the review also found challenges in putting these measures into practice, including limited resources, difficulties using electronic health records, and the burden of collecting and reporting data. While some tools and implementation strategies improved screening and follow-up rates, there was little evidence on whether these efforts helped reduce disparities in care. The authors suggest that future work should focus on making these measures easier to implement, more consistent across settings, and better able to track outcomes for different populations of children.
