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Overview
and Project Goals | Children
and Families Served | Healthy
Steps for Young Children | Community
Outreach | Evaluation
Healthy Steps for Young Children
The Healthy Steps for Young Children
model has been selected to provide the structure for the developmental,
behavioral, and psychosocial dimensions of both childhood and parenthood
through the promotion of child development and family nurturing. Healthy
Steps expands traditional clinical practice through the addition of Healthy
Steps specialists. These specialists provide services that enhance
pediatric care by building parents’ knowledge about child health and
development, and their confidence in actively participating with the
pediatric team and in their child’s health care.
To adopt this family-centered approach to care, Swope will increase its
clinic staff, train staff in the Healthy Steps model, and designate
specific staff roles to facilitate the flow of services.
Screening all children for developmental problems using a standardized
screening instrument is recommended by the
American Academy of Pediatrics; early identification of developmental
problems and appropriate intervention are mandated by the
Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act. Swope’s pediatric care providers will use the Ages
and Stages Questionnaire®, which is filled out by the parents or
guardians, to screen for potential developmental problems in children 5
years of age or younger. Families will work closely with the Healthy Steps
specialists and pediatricians to discuss any concerns, what to expect next
in the child’s development, and ways to promote healthy development in the
home. If a developmental screen is positive (meaning the child might
have a developmental problem), the child will be referred for further
evaluation and, if necessary, early intervention or education services.
Parents and guardians will be involved and informed in all steps of the
developmental screening and referral process.
DISCLAIMER:
We have no control over the content on outside websites. Links to these sites are included for information only. The views
and opinions expressed there are not necessarily those of CDC, the
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the U.S. Public Health
Service (PHS). [Return to Top]
Date: September 20, 2005
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities
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