| The purpose of early identification is to determine | | | | evaluate all children with disabilities (birth-21 years), |
| which children have developmental problems that | | | | who need early intervention or special education |
| may be obstacles to learning or that place children at | | | | services. Screening tools are not intended for |
| risk. Development in infants, toddlers, and | | | | diagnosis, placement, and educational planning. Careful |
| preschoolers is characterized by broad variability in | | | | consideration of reliability, validity, standardization, |
| rates and patterns of maturation. For some children, | | | | cultural and linguistic sensitivity, and relevance of |
| differences and delays in abilities are temporary and | | | | screening instruments and procedures is required for |
| are resolved during the normal course of | | | | appropriate selection, use, and interpretation. The |
| development. For other children, delays may persist in | | | | NJCLD supports the recommendations by the |
| different domains of functioning, necessitating the | | | | Learning Disabilities Roundtable in 2002 that "all |
| child's referral for targeted screening and/or | | | | preschoolers should be screened to assess early |
| comprehensive evaluation. At present, no clear | | | | language and reading skill development just as they |
| distinction can be made in the early years between | | | | are for vision and hearing" (p. 1). |
| the children whose problems may persist from those | | | | Risk indicators and protective factors. A range of |
| who will make adequate progress with time. | | | | environmental, biological, genetic, and perinatal |
| Therefore, young children who demonstrate | | | | conditions may be associated with adverse |
| difficulties in early development may or may not be | | | | developmental outcomes (see Shonkoff & Phillips, |
| at risk for LD; nevertheless, screening, evaluation, | | | | 2000) and may be risk indicators (i.e., warning signs) |
| enhanced learning opportunities, and possibly | | | | for LD.Also, advances in medical technology have |
| intervention services should be provided.It is not in | | | | kept an increasing number of fragile children alive, and |
| the child's best interest to “wait and | | | | these children often are at risk for developmental |
| see†or hope that the child will | | | | and later educational problems. Such risk indicators, |
| “grow out of†his or her | | | | especially when several are present, warrant careful |
| problems. Conversely, it is important to guard against | | | | monitoring of a child’s development and |
| the premature identification of a disability, especially if | | | | signal the need to ensure high quality learning |
| high quality learning opportunities have not been | | | | opportunities for this population. Children who do not |
| provided. | | | | respond adequately to these opportunities may be at |
| It is often during the early years that families and | | | | increased risk for LD. Furthermore, young children |
| caregivers first suspect a problem and may share | | | | with identified disabilities (e.g., cerebral palsy) also may |
| their concerns with qualified professionals. However, | | | | be at risk for LD. However, risk indicators do not |
| some families initially may deny the existence of a | | | | always predict which children will have future learning |
| problem because they are fearful of, or threatened | | | | problems. Risk indicators must be considered within |
| by, its possibilities and consequences. Family | | | | the context of typical developmental expectations. |
| cooperation is critical to early identification. Thus, | | | | For example, an inability to follow one-step directions |
| professionals must recognize and be sensitive to | | | | is not a risk indicator for a 6-month-old, but is for a |
| differences in family responses, including cultural | | | | 4-year-old, especially in combination with other risk |
| differences in viewing and addressing a disability, and | | | | indicators, such as poor fine motor coordination. |
| provide appropriate support. | | | | Protective factors that reduce risk and foster |
| The identification process includes (1) screening, (2) | | | | resilience can buffer children and families from |
| examination for the presence of risk indicators and | | | | circumstances that place them at risk. Risk indicators |
| protective factors, (3) systematic observations, and, | | | | interact with protective factors in unique ways for |
| if indicated, (4) a comprehensive evaluation. An | | | | each child. For example, some children with a history |
| effective early identification program must take into | | | | of birth complications may exhibit typical |
| account the numerous biological, environmental, and | | | | developmental patterns and require few if any special |
| cultural factors that may influence the course of a | | | | services, whereas other children without such |
| child’s development. Information from the | | | | histories may struggle to learn and may require |
| identification process is the basis for making decisions | | | | formal assessment and intervention.Likewise, children |
| about the need for further services and supports. | | | | who may have multiple risk indicators may not |
| Screening. The purpose of screening is to determine | | | | demonstrate learning problems if they receive strong |
| if additional evaluation is required and in what | | | | culturally and developmentally appropriate early |
| developmental domains. Examples of large scale | | | | learning experiences. The two lists below, though not |
| state-wide screening programs include Universal | | | | all-inclusive, identify possible risk indicators and |
| Newborn and Infant Hearing Screening and Child Find, | | | | protective factors for LD among infants, toddlers, |
| a component of IDEA ’04 that requires | | | | and preschoolers. |
| states to have a system to identify, locate, and | | | | |