Much emphasis has been placed on early detection of developmental delays and disabilities due to increased knowledge regarding the important role early intervention can play in a young child's development. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published policy statements in 2001 and 2006 describing the role of pediatricians in the process of developmental surveillance and screenings. This study seeks to determine the current developmental surveillance and screening practices of pediatricians and family physicians in the southern nine counties of Illinois. Specifically the study aims at looking at to what extent pediatricians/family physicians use standardized developmental screening tools to screen infants and toddlers as described in the AAP recommendations. What methods are pediatricians currently utilizing to screen infants and toddlers (standardized instruments, self made checklists, clinical judgment) In addition, this study looks at to what extent do pediatricians/family physicians follow the AAP's recommendation process for referrals of infants and toddlers identified as at-risk for developmental delays?

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:44:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 1615.pdf: 2019572 bytes, checksum: 6255d6f489ad11448457b2441c3dfab5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-31 / Studies have shown that developmental surveillance is an important task to be performed by the pediatrician and its objective is to precociously identify children who may need more complex evaluation as well as provide information about their development and not only their physical health. It also makes possible a definite diagnosis and the elaboration of an interdisciplinary plan of care for children in order to undergo early intervention. Other studies indicate that the pediatricians´ knowledge regarding developmental surveillance and their use of instruments to accomplish this practice is defective. Despite the fact that just a few perform developmental surveillance, they consider this issue important and demonstrate interest in updating themselves. According to these studies, the pediatricians should update their knowledge concerning development aspects and risk factors, use sorting techniques and lead the child presenting development delay to early stimulation programs. The general objective of this work is to analyze the knowledge related to health promotion, developmental surveillance and pediatric residents´ perception of babies´ delays in the state of São Paulo by analyzing the curriculum description and the performance in questionnaires. The curriculum guidelines from MEC (Brazilian Education Ministry) for pediatric residence teaching, the relation of vacancies for this specialty and the curriculum of seven medical pediatric residence courses in the state of São Paulo were analyzed, with the objective of identify elements concerning developmental surveillance in pediatric teaching (first stage). In the second stage of this study, the data regarding developmental surveillance practices and the knowledge about children s development were collected and correlated. It was carried out by the replication of two questionnaires, which were answered by 65 first and second-year pediatric residents of five specialization courses in the state of São Paulo. According to the analysis of MEC´s curriculum guidelines in relation to the subjects to be studied about developmental surveillance, it is possible to assert that they are general and non-specific, and the curriculums are superficial and not clear enough to make the identification of the practices related to developmental surveillance possible. Only one course of this research has the necessary requirements that allow the identification of elements related to this topic. The results of the second stage has shown that the majority of pediatric residents has different attitudes compared to the ones performed by doctors who are dealing with children s health for longer time. These different attitudes may reduce the efficacy of the developmental surveillance carried out by pediatricians. The correlation between the pediatric teaching and the residents´ knowledge about developmental surveillance has shown that the courses which have higher average in the questionnaires also have better developmental surveillance s contents described in their curriculums. The residents who justified why they ask or not the mothers about development and the ones who confirmed the use of evaluation scales had higher scores in the questionnaire. This study proposes further investigation related to the continuous professional development for pediatric residents, distance learning, the use of Moodle tools and topics such as: Promotion of health concept and developmental surveillance, non-identified precocious delays consequences, protocols about developmental surveillance, guidelines for normal infant development to the pediatricians, identification of development delays, and quick and easy measures to be used during practice and inserted in institutional dynamics. Using these results as a basis, a contribution to the pediatrician s mobilization regarding the importance of developmental surveillance and precocious identification of children with development delay is expected. / Estudos têm mostrado que a vigilância do desenvolvimento é uma importante tarefa do pediatra e tem a função de identificar precocemente crianças que podem necessitar de avaliação mais complexa; fornecer informações sobre o seu desenvolvimento e não somente sobre sua saúde física; possibilitar o diagnóstico definitivo e a elaboração de um plano de atendimento interdisciplinar para a criança visando a intervenção precoce de deficiências. Outros estudos indicam que o conhecimento dos pediatras sobre vigilância do desenvolvimento e uso de instrumentos para realizá-la é falho. Entretanto, dão importância ao tema e demonstram interesse em atualizar-se, mas poucos praticam a vigilância do desenvolvimento. Para desempenhar essa tarefa o pediatra deveria, segundo tais estudos, atualizar seus conhecimentos sobre os aspectos do desenvolvimento e fatores de risco, utilizar técnicas de triagem e encaminhar a criança que apresenta atraso de desenvolvimento a programas de estimulação precoce. O objetivo geral deste trabalho consiste em analisar alguns conhecimentos relacionados à promoção de saúde, vigilância do desenvolvimento e a percepção de atrasos em bebês junto a residentes em pediatria do estado de São Paulo, considerando a descrição da grade curricular e o seu desempenho em questionários. Foi realizada análise documental das diretrizes curriculares do MEC para o ensino da residência médica em pediatria, da relação de vagas para a especialidade e das grades curriculares de sete cursos de residência em pediatria no estado de São Paulo, com o objetivo de identificar elementos sobre a vigilância do desenvolvimento no ensino da pediatria (primeira etapa). A segunda etapa do estudo levantou e correlacionou dados sobre as práticas em vigilância do desenvolvimento e o conhecimento sobre áreas do desenvolvimento infantil junto a 65 residentes de pediatria de primeiro e segundo ano de cinco cursos de especialização do estado de São Paulo, por meio da replicação de dois questionários. Os dados gerais da análise do ensino de pediatria mostraram que os referenciais curriculares do MEC quanto às disciplinas que deveriam abordar o tema vigilância do desenvolvimento na residência em pediatria são gerais e inespecíficos; as grades apresentam conteúdo superficial quanto à abordagem da vigilância do desenvolvimento e não estão claras suficientemente para permitir a visualização de ações relacionadas a esta temática e apenas um curso participante da pesquisa reúne os requisitos necessários que permitem identificar elementos relacionados ao tema. Os resultados da segunda etapa mostraram que a maioria dos residentes em pediatria apresenta atitudes diferenciadas dos médicos que atuam já há mais tempo em atenção à saúde da criança, mas também apresentam alguns problemas que podem comprometer a eficácia da vigilância do desenvolvimento realizada por pediatras. As correlações entre o ensino de pediatria e o conhecimento dos residentes sobre a vigilância do desenvolvimento mostraram que os cursos que apresentam o desempenho médio mais alto nos questionários têm também a melhor descrição do conteúdo de vigilância do desenvolvimento em suas grades curriculares; os residentes que justificaram porque perguntam ou não sobre desenvolvimento às mães e os que afirmaram utilizar escalas de avaliação em sua prática acertaram maior número de questões do questionário. A partir de tais resultados, apresenta-se como proposta para futuros estudos a elaboração de um programa de formação continuada para residentes em pediatria na forma de ensino à distância, utilizando as ferramentas do ambiente de aprendizagem Moodle, contendo tópicos como: conceito de promoção de saúde e vigilância do desenvolvimento, conseqüências da não identificação precoce de atrasos, protocolos sobre vigilância do desenvolvimento, rota de ações para o pediatra envolvendo o desenvolvimento normal do bebê, a identificação de atrasos do desenvolvimento, uso de instrumentos rápidos e fáceis de serem aplicados na prática clínica e inseridos na dinâmica institucional. Com base nos resultados encontrados, espera-se contribuir para a mobilização do pediatra quanto à importância da vigilância do desenvolvimento e da identificação precoce de crianças com atrasos de desenvolvimento.

Sammanfattning: Introduktion: Tidig upptäckt av cerebral pares (CP) möjliggör tidig behandling, när hjärnans plasticitet är bäst, vilket optimerar barnets utveckling. I Sverige erbjuds alla barn motoriska utvecklingsuppföljningar inom barnhälsovården (BHV). Barn med kända riskfaktorer för CP följs dessutom inom neonatala uppföljningsprogram, där evidensbaserade bedömningsmetoder används vid motorisk bedömning. För en patientsäker vård behöver nedsatt motorik och CP tidigt identifieras, oberoende vart barnen följs. Syfte: Undersöka skillnader mellan barn med CP tillhörande högriskgrupp (HR) eller lågriskgrupp (LR), gällande första kontakt med fysioterapeut och motorisk bedömning, i Region Uppsala. Metod: Kvantitativ journalstudie med deskriptiv, retrospektiv och komparativ design valdes. Barn födda 2010-2016, diagnostiserade med CP 2010-2018 i Region Uppsala inkluderades. Barnen delades in i HR/LR för CP. Mätvariabler: motorisk nivå och kvalitet, funktionsnivå, typ av CP, ålder första kontakt med fysioterapeut samt ålder remittering till habiliteringsverksamheten. Deskriptiv statistik och icke-parametriska statistiska test användes, p-värde ≤0.05. Resultat: Trettiosju barn inkluderades, 22 HR/15 LR för CP. Barnen med högrisk bedömdes av fysioterapeut, erbjöds behandling samt remitterades till habiliteringsverksamheten signifikant tidigare. Barn med sämre funktionsnivå remitterades signifikant tidigare till habiliteringsverksamheten. Slutsats: Barn med CP i Region Uppsala har ojämlik tillgång till fysioterapeutiska bedömningar och behandlingar. Barn med högrisk för CP bedömdes av fysioterapeut och remitterades till habiliteringsverksamheten tidigare.  Barn med sämre funktionsnivå remitterades också tidigare. Evidensbaserade bedömningsmetoder verkar möjliggöra tidig upptäckt av motoriska avvikelser och därigenom möjlighet till tidiga interventioner. Ett sätt att erbjuda patientsäker och jämlik vård för barn med utvecklingsavvikelser, kan vara att använda evidensbaserade bedömningametoder inom verksamheter vars mål är identifiering av utvecklingsavvikelser. / Abstract: Introduction: Early detection of cerebral palsy (CP) allows for early treatment, when brain plasticity is at its best, which optimizes the child's development. In Sweden, all children are offered motor developmental surveillance in child health services. In addition children with known riskfactors of developing CP are enrolled in neonatal follow-up, using evidence-based assessment methods. In order to provide patientsafe and quality of care, early identification of impaired motor function and CP is needed, regardless of where the children are monitored. Aims: Investigate differences between children belonging to high or low riskgroup for CP regarding first contact with physiotherapist and assessed motorskills, in Region Uppsala. Methods: A quantitative journalstudy with descriptive, retrospective and comparative design was selected. Children born 2010-2016 diagnosed with CP 2010-2018 in Region Uppsala were included and divided into children with high or low risk to develop CP. Measures: motor performance, level of disability, type of CP, first visit at physiotherapist, age of reffered to habilitation-services. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric statistical tests were used, p-value ≤0.05. Results: Thirty-seven children were included, 22 with high-risk and 15 with low-risk for CP. Children with high-risk were assessed by physioterapist and referred to habilitation-services significantly earlier. Children with more severe disability were also referred significantly earlier. Conclusion: Children with CP in Region Uppsala have unequal access to timely physiotherapy and habilitation-services. Evidence-based assessment methods enable early detection of motor abnormalities and allows for early treatment. To provide safe and equal care, all professionals performing developmental surveillance should use evidence-based assessment methods.

Le très faible pourcentage d’enfants d’âge préscolaire atteints de troubles mentaux qui accèdent à des services de santé mentale spécialisés est un problème majeur de santé publique, compte tenu notamment de la prévalence élevée et des répercussions négatives importantes des troubles mentaux chez les jeunes enfants. C’est particulièrement le cas pour le trouble développemental du langage (TDL) qui est associé à des difficultés d’apprentissage et psychosociales significatives pouvant perdurer jusqu’à l’âge adulte. La présente thèse s’intéresse aux composantes de la surveillance développementale pour soutenir la détection précoce du TDL à la petite enfance en contexte pédopsychiatrique. Son objectif est de mieux cibler les facteurs de risque et les inquiétudes rapportées par les parents qui distinguent le TDL des autres troubles mentaux au sein d’un échantillon d’enfant d’âge préscolaire consultant en pédopsychiatrie. Le premier article vise à étudier les facteurs de risques propres au TDL, en les comparant aux autres troubles mentaux. L'acquisition des premières phrases après 24 mois, l’immigration maternelle et les antécédents familiaux de retard langagier ont été identifiés comme les prédicteurs les plus importants du TDL. De plus, les résultats montrent que les enfants atteints de TDL étaient exposés à un nombre significativement plus élevé de facteurs de risque que ceux atteints d'autres troubles mentaux. Le deuxième article explore la précision des inquiétudes parentales selon ses niveaux de sensibilité et spécificité ainsi que par sa valeur prédictive quant au diagnostic final des enfants. Les résultats ont démontré que les troubles du langage étaient mieux détectés par les parents que les autres troubles, tout en étant moins spécifiques, car ils pouvaient être associés à d'autres diagnostics que le TDL. Les inquiétudes parentales se sont avérées généralement fiables et pertinentes dans la détection de troubles mentaux dès l’âge préscolaire, à l’exception de la sphère motrice, au sein de laquelle les difficultés des enfants étaient sous-détectées. L’intégration des résultats des deux articles de la présente thèse montre qu’une meilleure connaissance et une utilisation plus efficiente des inquiétudes parentales ainsi que de facteurs de risque spécifiques lors des premiers stades du développement de l’enfant pourraient être déterminantes pour le pronostic du TDL, en se concentrant plus rapidement sur les interventions nécessaires et en s’assurant de la correspondance entre les besoins des familles et les services offerts. / The low percentage of preschool children with mental disorders accessing specialized mental health services is a major public health concern, given the high prevalence and significant negative impact of mental disorders in young children. This is particularly the case for developmental language disorder (DLD), which is associated with significant learning and psychosocial difficulties that can last into adulthood. This thesis focuses on the components of developmental surveillance to support the early detection of DLD in early childhood in a child psychiatric context. Its objective is to better target the risk factors and concerns reported by parents that distinguish DLD from other mental disorders in a sample of preschoolers consulting in child psychiatry. The first article aimed to study the risk factors specific to DLD, by comparing them to other mental disorders. Acquisition of first sentences after 24 months, maternal immigration and family history of language delay were identified as the most important predictors of DLD. In addition, the results demonstrate that children with DLD were exposed to a significantly higher number of risk factors than those with other mental disorders. In the second article the levels of sensitivity and specificity of parental concerns were reported, as well as its predictive value for the final diagnosis of children. The results showed that language disorders were better detected by parents than other disorders, while being less specific, as they could be associated with other diagnoses than DLD. Parental concerns have proven to be generally reliable and relevant in the detection of mental disorders from preschool age, except for the motor sphere, in which children's difficulties were under-detected. The integration of the results of our two articles demonstrates that a better knowledge and more efficient use of parental concerns as well as specific risk factors during the early stages of child development could be decisive for DLD prognosis, by focusing more quickly on the necessary interventions and ensuring the correspondence between the needs of families and the services offered.