Developmental Surveillance and Screening

THE EARLIER THE BETTER

To ensure that children can achieve the maximum benefit from school, they need to arrive at kindergarten ready to learn, with appropriate developmental skills.

Developmental surveillance and screening are powerful strategies for detecting risk and delays early so that interventions can be implemented when they can be most effective.

• Early intervention helps vulnerable children get off to a good start and achieve their potential.
• Intervening before kindergarten saves between $30,000 and $100,000 per child in academic and social services later in life. 

CHDI is committed to furthering a coordinated system of surveillance and screening across settings that serve young children.

Through Educating Practices program, we have helped nearly two-thirds of Connecticut's pediatric practices implement screening. This has contributed to a nearly ten-fold increase in the number of children who are screened for developmental and behavioral health issues in Connecticut since 2008. We are also working with Connecticut’s child care initiatives to promote surveillance and screening in those settings.

Read more about surveillance and screening efforts in our IMPACT publication, prepared for the Early Childhood Education Cabinet: “The Earlier the Better: Developmental Screening for Connecticut’s Young Children”.