A lesson for every state from Minnesota's preschool screening program

Current Screening and Diagnostic Practices in a State Offering Free Preschool Screening Since 1977: Implications for the Field

Current screening and diagnostic practices for identifying young handicapped children were surveyed. Information was gathered on the populations served, the professionals and tools employed in screening and diagnosis, the decision criteria, and the perception of gaps and duplications in services in a state in which free preschool screening and programs for young handicapped children have been available since 1977. Findings were consistent with results from surveys of model early childhood programs. The results indicated a heavy reliance on a limited number of instruments for screening, even though the technical adequacy of several of the instruments is questionable. The special educator was the professional most often involved in conducting preschool developmental assessments. Other findings and several issues related to early childhood screening and diagnosis are discussed.

Preschool vision screening for amblyopia and strabismus. Programs, methods, guidelines, 1983

Amblyopia and strabismus, which afflict at least 5% of children, require treatment early in life for best visual results. At present, many such children are treated late or not at all. Mass screening at preschool age, and perhaps ultimately of infants, appears the only viable solution to this problem. To ascertain the present status of preschool screening in the United States, on-site visits, mail questionnaires and telephone interviews were used to study existing preschool vision screening programs at the federal, state and private organization levels. We estimate that, at most, 21% of preschool children receive any form of vision screening. Only two states, Michigan and Minnesota, have legislated requirements for such screening. Several organizations have attempted to establish screening guidelines, with suggestions of specific test and referral criteria. These guidelines are reviewed. The guidelines are of particular interest because screening programs following them typically indicate far lower prevalence rates than most studies indicate actually exist, suggesting that the guidelines result in underreferrals. In order to assess this matter, vision screening methods appropriate for preschoolers or infants, based on current evidence, are reviewed. Stereoscopic testing, utilizing a random dot stereogram format, appears the best instrument available for amblyopia and strabismus screening, but large scale comparative studies of the different test methods are needed to arrive at a final determination. Suggestions are made for the physician interested in initiating preschool vision screening programs.

Comparison of two screening tests: Gesell Developmental Test and Meeting Street School Screening Test

Pearson product-moment correlations were computed for selected subtests of The Gesell Developmental Test and The Meeting Street School Screening Test. The selected subtests are moderately correlated, suggesting that either test might be used in a battery.