You know your child better than anyone. As your little one grows and changes, you may wonder if they are progressing typically for children their age. The CDC has produced a
checklist of developmental milestones that you can use as a reference. Parents of preschool-aged children may contact
Carrie Antonelli with questions or concerns about their child's development. If it turns out they need it, your child can be evaluated by BSD professionals in communication, motor skills, cognition, self-help, and personal/social skills. BSD offers ASQ (Ages & Stages Questionnaire) screenings, evaluations, and educational services to any family living in and/or attending a childcare center or preschool within the Brandywine School District boundaries
Screenings
BSD uses the
ASQ Portal to offer these free developmental screenings to families, preschools, daycare centers, and Head Starts. These screenings help find out if a child has a potential delay compared to other kids their age. The ASQ asks the family and caregivers questions about a child's development. This screening is a snapshot of your child's current development and is used to determine if the child is meeting
developmental milestones, or tasks that most children can do by a certain age. The
American Academy of Pediatrics and
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommend that children are screened at the ages of 9, 18, 24 or 30, 36, and 48 months. If your child is experiencing delays, it is important to get them services as soon as possible. Research demonstrates that the sooner a child receives help, the better his or her chances are of developing age-appropriate skills and not needing special education services later in life
In BSD, each family that completes the online ASQ will receive:
- The screening results.
- A packet explaining developmental milestones.
- A packet describing developmentally appropriate activities for home.
Once the completed ASQ is scored, families are contacted with results and asked to help professionals plan the next steps to help their child. The child may stay in his or her existing program with check-ins by professionals or the child might be evaluated to receive special education services.
Evaluations
Families, daycare providers, preschool teachers, or others working with young children may contact
Carrie Antonelli to refer a child for a developmental evaluation. This will help determine if the child is eligible for any special education supports or services before they enter kindergarten.
Services
Services are provided in a number of ways depending on the needs of the child. Some children receive services within the home. Some receive services in their current daycare or preschool, and some receive services on-site in one of
BSD's Early Education Programs.
Children Under Age 3
If your child is younger than three years old and you have concerns about their development in the areas listed above, please contact Child Development Watch at 302-283-7140.
