Study: Follow-Up Critical After Developmental Screenings

Kids with developmental delay are far more likely to receive the early intervention services they need if pediatricians follow up after conducting routine screenings, researchers say.

In a study of clinic patients at a large children's hospital in Colorado, researchers found that simply performing regular developmental screenings was often not enough to ensure kids got help.

Even after implementing standardized screening procedures for doctors, just 20 percent of the children flagged as having possible delays were referred to community resources including early intervention.

However, when the clinic began aggressively following up with phone calls in cases where children were found to have possible delays, referrals increased to 50 percent, the study found.

Full article at Disability Scoop - http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2014/09/02/study-follow-up-screening/19635/