Provider referral is one of the most influential factors in research recruitment. To ease referral burden on providers, we adapted the Best Practice Alert (BPA) in the "EPIC" Electronic Health Record and assessed its utility in recruiting pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder for the national SPARK study. During a year-long…

A review of clinical records was conducted for children with developmental, emotional, and behavioral difficulties who were assessed with both the Wechsler preschool and primary scale of intelligence-third edition (WPPSI-III[superscript CDN]; Wechsler, 2004) and the Leiter international performance scale--revised (Leiter-R; Roid & Miller,…

Children with normal hearing who present with listening difficulties (LiD) are frequently referred for assessment of auditory processing disorder (APD). Complicating diagnosis is the similarities of APD to other neurodevelopmental disorders, especially attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Due to well-documented deficits in executive…

Current evidence shows that early interventions in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more efficient and associated with better long-term outcomes. This also highlights the need for early recognition of children with ASD symptoms by family physicians and referral to child psychiatrists. This study aimed to evaluate how family…

Proper treatment of developmental disabilities requires health workers to have adequate knowledge of etiology and referral procedures. There is a dearth of research on knowledge of developmental disabilities among health workers in Ghana. The purpose of this study was to document knowledge about developmental disorders, causes, and referral…

Background: Children with reading difficulty exhibit deficits in multiple cognitive areas (e.g., language skills, working memory, processing speed). Therefore, evaluation of reading difficulty typically includes assessment of both academic functioning and general intelligence (IQ). Although the IQ construct is considered robust in the general…

Purpose: Early detection of language delays is essential, as language is key for academic outcomes, well-being, and societal participation. Previous studies have focused on undetected delays in young children. Much less is known about referrals at older ages. In this study, we aimed to (a) establish how many children are referred at toddler age…

Background: General practitioners (GP) report multiple challenges when treating individuals with intellectual disabilities which may influence referral rates. The study aimed to establish factors that influence GP's decision-making when referring a child with intellectual disabilities to the emergency department. Method: Discrete choice…

Military families relocate three times more often than non-military families. Those whom have children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder face challenges related to inconsistencies in services, delay of services, and lack of continuity of care. The current study expands the limited research examining the experiences of military families with…

Background: Media reports of child deaths as a result of abuse and neglect can influence how children move throughout the foster care system. Using the theoretical frameworks of moral panics and street level bureaucracy, the current study examined how news reports of violent child abuse and neglect cases relate to foster care children with…

This study investigates what role diagnoses play in institutional decision-making in regards to provision of special educational support and in the referral of pupils from mainstream schooling to special needs schools or classes. During the past decades, many countries have witnessed a radical increase in the number of children receiving…

Despite the relatively high incidence rates of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in children and adolescents, few students qualify for special education services under the TBI category. Although many TBIs do not require specially designed instruction or related services, it is essential that students with substantive educational effects from TBI…

Background: Pediatric mental health issues are increasing while access to care is decreasing. This is reflected in a growing number of patients seeking emergency psychiatric evaluations (EPEs) in the emergency department (ED). Methods: This was a retrospective review of patients seeking EPE in the ED of a children's hospital between September and…

Children with developmental concerns in Australia continue to experience inequitable healthcare and service-related delays, even when diagnostic risk is identified. This study sought to explore service and demographic pathway factors leading up to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) assessment, including value of screening measures applied at triage.…

As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rises, the demand for services also increases. For individuals on the autism spectrum to access most of these services, a formal diagnosis is necessary. An accurate diagnosis also informs the type of services a child receives and whether that treatment will appropriately address their symptoms.…