Screening Infant, Toddler and Preschool Children

1. Screening Infant, Toddler and Preschool Children Using the Ages and Stages 3rd edition Created for Teachers

2. What is a screening? • The use of a developmental screening tool is part of a program’s philosophy of preventative care – find conditions before they become a problem and affect a child’s ability to learn. • Screenings are used to find children who may need professional evaluation. • Screenings are never used to diagnose a problem.

3. Screening children is like screening sand and pinto beans. This is a strainer or sieve or colander. It is a screening tool used to screen large pieces from small pieces. It has a screen bottom with small sized holes – just like a screen on a window. We’re screening the sand and pinto beans. The sand goes through, but the beans cannot. The pinto beans did not pass the screening!

4. Screening is like pouring grains of sand and pinto beans through a strainer. The small grains of sand will pass through easily. These are the children who pass the screening. However, the larger pinto beans will not go through. They represent children who may need further evaluation.

5. About Ages and Stages • Ages and Stages is often called: ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) • There are 21 different questionnaires. • They go from 1 month to 5 ½ years of age.

6. CHANGE… • We are switching from the ASQ-2 to the ASQ-3. • The ASQ-3 starts with a 2 month old questionnaire, so we will now be able to screen even 1 month olds using the ASQ-3! • Therefore, we will no longer use well baby visits as our developmental screening for our babies 4 months and under. • Implementation will begin August 1, 2011.

7. About ASQ-3 The questions are divided into 5 domains: • Communication • Gross Motor • Fine Motor • Problem Solving • Personal- Social

8. Benefits of ASQ-3 Screening • ASQ is part of the 40 hour training that all teachers are required to attend, so you may already be familiar with it. • ASQ meets the requirements of our funding sources.

9. How RCMA usesASQ-3 • We use the ASQ-3 for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in all funding sources. • Each child each year will get an ASQ-3 screening, unless that child has a diagnosed disability.

10. Parts of an ASQ Questionnaire • Information sheet • Domain skill questions • Overall questions for parent concerns • Information Summary Sheet

11. Materials needed for the ASQ • Most materials needed to complete an ASQ will be found in the classroom. • Review the list of materials needed on a questionnaire before you use it. • Gather the materials ahead of time.

12. Deciding Which Questionnaire to Use • Your Early Childhood Specialist or Mentor Teacher will select the right questionnaire for each child. • They will write the child’s name and identifying information on the form for you.

13. Your Job • Your job will be to complete the questionnaire with each of your children. • Your Program Coordinator, ECS/MT is there to support you. They will review the screening tool with you & help you complete it when needed.

14. Your Job • If you have questions about what any of the skills mean, please ask your ECS/MT! • We want to make sure that we understand each question so that we get a valid screening result. • You know the children best and your input and observations are very valuable.

15. Administering the ASQ The options to the questions are: Yes – The child can do it every time. Sometimes – The child has some difficulty doing it every time. Not yet – The child is not yet doing the task. Each question should have an answer.

16. Administering the ASQ At the end of each questionnaire there is a section called: OVERALL • These questions ask for a YES or NO • These are the questions you should ask the parents. If you need to give more information, it is okay to write on the back of the questionnaire.

17. Parent Input • This questionnaire is designed to be answered by parents, but in RCMA, we complete the screening in our classrooms. • Parent input is, however, very important. • Teachers should review concerns or questions with the child’s parent in a home visit or parent conference before it is turned in for scoring. • Parents know their child best and their responses should be respected.

18. Process for ECS/MT • ECS/MT will choose from the RCMA Intranet which questionnaire to use for each child. • Print pages and staple them together. • ECS/MT will fill out the information sheet . 4. Teachers will get the questionnaires from the ESC/MT. Teachers may need help and support during the screening process.

19. Process for ECS/MT • Once the questionnaire has been completed and reviewed with the parent, the teachers will turn the questionnaire back to the ECS/MT. • The ECS/MT will do the scoring and transfer the results to the information summary sheet.

20. Scoring the Questionnaire Your Early Childhood Specialist or Mentor Teacher or Program Coordinator will score the questionnaire.

21. The QP Meeting • Every child should be discussed at the QP meeting. • You, as the child’s teacher should be invited to the QP meeting. • A delay in any one of the domains may cause a child to be considered for referral. • At this meeting, the center team will decide whether to make an immediate referral (with parent permission) or wait for the child’s first monthly assessment.

22. Sharing Results with Parents • A member of the core team will provide to the parents within 3 days of completion of scoring, using the form H6 “Your Child was Screened” .

23. Timeline Basics for ASQ-3 We have 45 days (includes weekends and holidays) to complete the entire screening process for all children. Weeks 2 & 3 – Begin screening children if they are known by the teachers and comfortable in the classroom. Weeks 3 & 4 – Screen children who need a little more time to become acclimated to the center. Weeks 4 & 5 – The rest of the children can be screened.

24. Certificate of Participationissued to _____________________________ for participating in a workshop, Screening Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Child Development: Using the Ages & Stages-3 Questionnaire Teacher Edition – 1 Hour _____________________________ Trainer’s Signature ___________________________________ Date of Training