Universal screening and progress monitoring are evidence-based practices in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) for infants/toddlers are measures that programs can use for universal screening, progress monitoring, intervention decision-making, and accountability.…

Purpose: To evaluate the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of the novel Means-End Problem-Solving Assessment Tool (MEPSAT). Methods: Children with typical development and those with motor delay were assessed throughout the first 2 years of life using the MEPSAT. MEPSAT scores were validated against the cognitive and motor subscales of the…

In this program description, the authors describe outcomes of a 2-year project influencing programmatic changes to screening/assessment practices and increased collaboration with Child Welfare (CW) in an early intervention (EI) program. The EI professionals reviewed how they assessed children who have been abused/neglected. Based on their…

Hearing is at the heart of language development and school readiness; increasing numbers of Early Head Start programs have come to rely on otoacoustic emissions (OAE) technology to screen all infants and toddlers for hearing loss. Successful identification of hearing health needs is dependent not only on an appropriate screening method, but also…

The DEC Recommended Practices provide guidance to families and professionals about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote development of young children, birth through age 5, who have, or are at-risk for, developmental delays or disabilities. "Assessment: Recommended Practices for Young Children and Families" is…

Evaluating initiatives implemented across multiple settings can elucidate how various contextual factors may influence both implementation and outcomes. Understanding context is especially critical when the same program has varying levels of success across settings. We present a framework for evaluating contextual factors affecting an initiative…

For children age birth to five, physical, cognitive, linguistic, and social-emotional growth and development occur at a rapid pace. While all children in this age range may not reach developmental milestones (e.g., smiling, saying first words, taking first steps) at the same time, development that does not happen within an expected timeframe can…

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) are well-known for engagement in challenging behaviors. Unfortunately, due to its absence as a criterion for diagnosis in the "DSM-IV-TR", little attention has been paid to the endorsement rates of such behaviors. However, a recently developed measure to assist in the diagnosis of infants and toddlers…

The study examined the properties of the Screening Tool for Autism in Two-Year-Olds (STAT) for children under 24 months. The STAT provides a standard context for observing social-communicative behavior in play, imitation, and communication. Seventy-one children received the STAT between 12 and 23 months of age and a follow-up diagnostic evaluation…

This authoritative volume provides state-of-the-art practices for supporting the approximately 20% of today's K-12 students who have emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) that hinder school success. Leading experts present evidence-based approaches to screening, progress monitoring, intervention, and instruction within a multi-tiered framework.…

The manual describes procedures involved in administering and scoring a neurodevelopmental examination of children from birth to 2 years of age. The test is designed to be easily incorporated into routine health programs. The instrument is easily learned, quickly administered, objectively based, and capable of producing early evidence of…

This booklet compiles information on 16 screening instruments for young children. For each instrument, the following information is provided: (1) name; (2) publisher; (3) year published; (4) cost of kit; (5) cost per child/cost of forms; (6) age range; (7) domains tested (including cognitive, expressive language, receptive language, articulation,…

The manual describes seven tools for use in screening and assessing the developmentally disabled infant and young child in the home. Instruments are said to have met four criteria (easy adaptation to the home setting, minimum training required to administer, speed of administration, and minimum equipment needed). Five categories of information are…

Home environments of 91 6-month-old infants were assessed with the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Inventory to predict whether a child would be low IQ (below 70), low average (70 to 89), or average to superior (90 and above) at age 3 years. (Author)

Because many special-needs infants are at risk for delayed or maladaptive feeding skills and malnutrition, the Nutrition and Feeding Risk Identification Tool was developed using a family-centered, community-based, coordinated approach to screening and assessment of nutrition and feeding concerns of families. The measure's development,…