The Ages and Stages Questionnaire for Early Childhood Development

early childhood

Here at Wollaston Childcare, your children are like our own.  That is why we’re offering the ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) developmental screening to our families.  This is an opportunity to share and learn about your child’s early childhood development, celebrate their growth, and address any questions or concerns.  We understand that there may be questions about this screening, so we’ve created this helpful article to help ease any concerns or worries about the ASQ!

 

How it works

Nearly four decades of research and parent feedback have shaped the ASQ as it is today.  The questionnaire is designed to fit with early childhood routines and engage parents with its user-friendly format.  Once you select the questionnaire that matches your child’s age, parents are guided through easy to answer questions that will take 10-15 minutes to complete.  With ASQ online, your results are automatically and accurately calculated.  Then, parents are enabled to compare their child’s scores to the cutoff points listed on the scoring sheet. 

 

Why does screening matter?

Screening your child during the early years is an effective, efficient way to monitor their development.  Although you may be wondering, why would you want to know what’s wrong with your child? This is not the path of our thinking.  ASQ is designed to celebrate your child’s milestones and know what to look for next.  Yes, we can help determine if follow-up steps are needed, but we promise we’ll make them fun! Identifying children with delays or disorders in the early years is critical to their success in later school years. 

Early intervention, before kindergarten, has vast academic, social, and economic benefits.  Studies have shown that children who receive early treatment for developmental delays are more likely to graduate from high school, hold jobs, and live independently¹. 

 

What happens after you get the results?

If your child is developing without concerns, just keep playing and interacting as you always have! If some skills need attention, fun, age-appropriate activities and games will be created for you to try with your child before their next screening.  You can learn more about these activities by clicking here.

 

Can a questionnaire really capture my child’s developmental progress?

Yes! Studies have shown that these types of screening methods, completed by parents, are very effective at pinpointing a child’s progress.  Because the information provided is usually highly accurate, your perspective as a parent enables the process to capture the big picture versus placing your child in an unfamiliar setting for screening.

 

Developmental delays, learning disorders, and behavioral and social-emotional problems are estimated to affect 1 in every 6 children².  Only 20% to 30% of these children are identified as needing help before school begins³.  By taking a few moments of your day to complete the ASQ, you can have an accurate idea on your child’s early childhood development.  For more information, don’t hesitate to reach out to the staff at Wollaston Childcare. We are here to help your children reach their utmost potential!

 

ASQ

 

 

¹Glascoe, F.P., Shapiro, H.L. (2004, May 27) Introduction to Developmental and Behavioral Screening. developmental behavioral pediatrics online. http://www.dbpeds.org/articles/detail.cfm?id=5
²Dunkle, M. (Fall 2004). High Quality Developmental Screening.  Developmental & Behavioral News, 13(2)
³Component Seven: Surveillance and Screening Facilitator Manual, Medical Home Initiatives for Children with Special Needs.  http://www.medicalhomeinfo.org/training/materials/April2004Curriculum/SS/ScreeningFacilitator.pdf