Developmental Screening: What Every Nurse Practitioner Needs to Know

• Developmental screening recommendations urge providers to use validated tools.
• Many children are not receiving developmental screening according to current recommendations.
• More children are identified and more children receive early intervention when validated tools are used.

Developmental screening is performed to identify quickly and reliably those children whose developmental level is below normal for their age and who may benefit from further investigation. Nurse practitioners are uniquely positioned to offer routine developmental screening, leading to early identification, referral for diagnostic evaluation, and early intervention services when appropriate. The purpose of this article to inform nurse practitioners of the importance of employing evidence-based recommendations for developmental screening in primary care. Current screening recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics are discussed, and validated developmental screening instruments are highlighted.