Early intervention screening involves more than “simple” screening

From the perspective of preventive medical discourse, early interventional screening is one of the most important ways to intervene with developmentally delayed children and an important service for children’s public health. This paper details an historical perspective of early developmental screening in the United States and reexamines the concepts of early screening in widespread use in children’s populations to expose undisclosed facts. These facts remind us that early developmental screening might not be totally based on children’s needs, but on both the government’s desires and political activities. As a result, a certain population was identified as subjects that required developmental screening resulting in very large numbers studies. Under these circumstances, developmental screening instruments were used in conjunction with pediatricians’ individualized appraisals. The approach to developmental surveillance was to expand from the children to the parents’ concern. The instrument not only legitimately recruited parents and facilitated parents’ surveillance of their children’s development, but was also was a platform for highlighting parent-child interactions. This discussion may help community health nurses further understand different perspectives of early interventional screening in practice.

OA journal.

Footer in full text states 2014 vol. 1 issue 2, but paper is listed on publisher's website under 2015 vol 2 issue 1.