DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING TEST
This screening test is a sampling of age appropriate skills in each of these
areas. A simple checklist is included identifying skills for children ages birth
- 7 which is done by the parent. Since there is a wide range of ages, it is very
typical that most children will not be able to do all of these. The other tasks
can be done by a parent, teacher, or *a specialist (only available in select
cities---call Dawn Heil at 847-854-0347 to discuss).* The directions are very
clear and can be done easily by a parent at home. Sometimes this may be the best
way since it can be done in short time periods and in a familiar setting if the
child is shy around unfamiliar adults.
In the personal area, the parent identifies if the child is able to do tasks as
removing a coat, zipping clothing, leaving the parent easily, and playing
cooperatively in groups as well as some other tasks.
In the physical area, some of the required tasks include: copying shapes,
drawing a person, using scissors, etc. For the gross motor skills, they are
asked to do jump, hop, skip, and to balance.
The language area addresses both receptive and expressive language skills. In
the receptive language areas, children need to point to body parts and follow
directions. The expressive language areas require naming body parts, using
plurals/compound sentences, using language, and doing some simple definitions.
For the cognitive area, memory skills and understanding shapes, colors, numbers,
letters, concepts, and experiences are emphasized. Both visual (seeing) and
auditory (hearing) memory are tested. Each child identifies a color sequence
seen (visual) and repeats both numbers and sentences heard
(auditory). Understanding shapes includes matching, pointing to shapes named,
and naming ones seen as well as being able to do puzzles and identifying
different shapes. Colors/numbers/letters require them to identify
colors/numbers/letters, count, add one more, naming coins, reading simple words,
and adding/subtracting. Concepts involve analogies (opposites), functions,
usage, similarities, position, and vocabulary. Many of the skills in the
understanding experiences come from the parent checklist to include:
understanding time of day, pre-reading skills, telling stories, sequencing, and
knowing reality from fantasy. Since this is a range of age level skills, not all
children are required to do all of the tasks to be age appropriate.
After the sampling of skills are completed, they are applied to established
norms and an estimate is given for each area whether the child is “above age”,
“at age”, or “developing” which may need more experience. Then parents and
teachers will receive two years of recommended objectives based on each
level. These are very valuable to know what is appropriate for each child so
developmental progress continues. This is available online for the parent to do
at home or a teacher at school. Or if a facility contracts with MEC to offer it
by a specialist, it can be done during the school day (see the parent form
obtained from the facility for pricing).
This is recommended to be done with the BEHAVIORAL RATING SCALE so the
behavioral skills do not interfere with learning. *The IQ screening (only
offered through the schools or in select cities—contact Dawn Heil at
847-854-0347 to discuss this) is also very valuable to pair with this. When the
IQ or potential and the developmental level (which is like an achievement test
for young children) are estimated, parents and teachers can plan goals to help
the child reach the potential.*