Systems and Standards Issue Briefs
December 18, 2012

Studying the Early Identification of Children’s Developmental Disabilities

Current estimates are that as many as 15 percent of U.S. children meet the definition for having a developmental disability. Increasing biologic and experiential evidence points to the importance of identifying these developmental concerns as early as possible. This paper explores two questions: Over the past two decades, what have we learned about the early identification of children’s developmental disabilities? From a research point of view, what more do we need to do to advance the practice of early identification?