Why Screen?
Parents see their children's providers as the experts, the people they want to consult when they have concerns about their children's health. Even if they have have purchased all the latest books, searched the internet, and asked supportive family members for advice, they want to know what you think.
Providers typically use surveillance to detect developmental delays and mental health problems. Although surveillance methods such as checklists are a good beginning, surveillance alone is not enough.
Research shows that screening — a brief procedure using a standardized development tool — is almost three times as likely to identify developmental and behavioral problems than professional judgment alone.
