The Importance of the First 5 Years: Pediatrician Identification of Developmental Delays and Other Related Concerns

ABSTRACTIdentification of developmental delays, behavioral concerns, and social-emotional problems in very young children allows pediatricians and parents to determine appropriate treatment early in the child's development. If left untreated, many of these delays may hinder the child's developmental growth and functioning. However, there is limited research on pediatricians' experiences with developmental screening tools and on perceived barriers to conducting developmental surveillance for children ages 0 to 5 years. An online survey examined the awareness and experience of a purposive sample (N = 100) of Florida pediatricians with developmental surveillance, screening tools, and reliance on other sources of information in the screening of very young children. Statistical significance was noted in that more pediatricians (94%) who had heard or read about developmental surveillance updated the developmental history compared with those who were not familiar (79%) with the concept of developmental surveilla...