Early intervention is important to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. With this in mind, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics recently revised their developmental milestones checklists. This was the first time they updated the milestones in about 20 years.
The checklists have been refined to reduce confusion and avoid a wait and see approach. The faster a child’s developmental delays are identified, the faster interventions can be put into place.
While the guidelines are meant for pediatrician well-child visits, they could also apply to schools and students. If your pediatrician identifies concerns at a well visit, you might consider notifying your child’s school. Under the IDEA, schools have responsibilities to locate, identify and evaluate students with a disability. This obligation applies even before the start of kindergarten.
You may be entitled to services from the school if your child has a developmental delay or other qualifying disability. So, if your pediatrician diagnoses or is concerned about a developmental delay or disability, please consider contacting your child’s school if they are attending school or your local school district if they are not yet attending to see if the school might be able to assist.
As your child approaches school age, parental concerns about your child's development may increase. If you believe your child may have a developmental disability and the school is not willing to evaluate or assist your child, please feel free to contact the Law Office of Richard J. Murphy, PLC for a free consultation.