Improving Access to Early Developmental Evaluation in Academic Primary Care Centers.

Introduction: Developmental disorders (DDs) affect approximately 1 in 6 children in the United States. Early identification and treatment improve developmental outcomes and child and family functioning. Disparities exist in the diagnosis of DD that leads to inequitable access to developmental services during important periods of neuroplasticity.

Assessing the Revised Safer Dx Instrument in the understanding of ambulatory system design changes for type 1 diabetes and autism spectrum disorder in pediatrics.

Objectives: We sought within an ambulatory safety study to understand if the Revised Safer Dx instrument may be helpful in identification of diagnostic missed opportunities in care of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: We reviewed two months of emergency department (ED) encounters for all patients at our tertiary care site with T1D and a sample of such encounters for patients with ASD over a 15-month period, and their pre-visit communication methods to better understand opportunities to improve diagnosis. We applied the Revised Safer Dx instrument to each diagnostic journey.

Evidence-Based Interventions in Autism.

Pediatricians have a critically important role in the care of children with autism, including conducting developmental screening to support early diagnosis and intervention, advising families about evidence-based treatments for autism spectrum disorder, and supporting families' emotional health as they care for a child with a developmental disability. The purpose of this article is to provide pediatricians with information about evidence-based autism treatments and how to determine which interventions are appropriate for children across the autism spectrum at different ages and developmental stages.

Child Protective Custody Placement for Children with Developmental Disorders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether children with developmental disorders (DDs) in protective custody are more likely to experience specific placement types and stay in care longer than their typically developing peers. Furthermore, in the DD-only group, we examined whether the likelihood of each placement type differed by specific DD diagnosis.

Methods: This observational retrospective study used child welfare administrative data linked to electronic health records in a large Ohio county.

Factors Associated with Early Intervention Intensity for Children Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.

We quantified the intensity of early intervention (EI) services allocated to 1262 children who were deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) within a state program and identified factors associated with intervention intensity. Child specific data were collected on children born between 2008 and 2014. Data from Individualized Family Service Plans of children enrolled in Part C EI programming were evaluated for the type and duration of services during their EI enrollment.

Developmental Service Referrals and Utilization Among Young Children in Protective Custody.

Children in foster care are at high risk for developmental delay. In this retrospective cohort study of young children presenting to a foster care clinic, 77% were not receiving developmental services and 75% failed developmental screening. Of those potentially eligible, 60% were not referred for developmental services.

Improving Access to Diagnostic Assessments for Autism Spectrum Disorder Using an Arena Model.

Objective: To improve access to diagnostic evaluations for children younger than 3 years with concerns for possible autism spectrum disorder.

Methods: A multidisciplinary "arena model" for children younger than 3 years was developed, tested, and implemented over an approximately 2-year period. Arena assessment teams comprised a developmental behavioral pediatrician (DBP), psychologist, and speech language pathologist (SLP).

Participation in Home Visitation is Associated with Higher Utilization of Early Intervention.

Objectives To determine whether participation in a home visiting program increases and expedites utilization of early intervention services for suspected developmental delays. Methods Children participating in Every Child Succeeds (ECS), a large home visiting (HV) program serving greater Cincinnati, between 2006 and 2012, were propensity score matched to a sample of children identified from birth records who did not receive services from ECS. Data were linked to early intervention (EI) data acquired from the Ohio Department of Health.

Cognitive and motor abilities of young children and risk of injuries in the home.

Objective: Residential injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in US children. Rates and types of injury vary by child age but little is known about injury risk based on child cognitive and motor abilities. The objective of this study was to determine whether cognitive or motor development in young children is associated with residential injury.

Special education and later academic achievement.

Objectives: To determine whether grade at entry to special education is associated with improved reading achievement in children with reading disorders (RD) and whether the effect of grade at entry to special education differs by socioeconomic status (SES).

Methods: The authors conducted a secondary data analysis using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), a nationally representative cohort of children followed longitudinally from kindergarten through eighth grade (1998-2007). Using data from the fifth grade wave of ECLS-K, the authors identified children with RD (n = 290).