When To Screen

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) recommends use of screening tools at each visit, while the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes use of screens at 9, 18, 24, or 30 months but is less clear on whether quality screens should be used at subsequent visits. Given that developmental problems can develop past 24 - 30 months of age (e.g., language impairment, learning disabilities) and that the weight of evidence currently rests with quality screens (e.g, as documented by the Commonwealth Fund's ABCD Initiative in which primary care providers were trained in the use of quality screens, required to use them, reimbursed accordingly, and taught about available services, ensured that the Center for Disease Control's prevalence estimates became commensurate with enrollment rates in early intervention) it is wise that the AAP is conducting implementation research on the effectiveness of its current policy.