Poster #163 - Developmental Progress of Infants and Toddlers in a State Part C Early Intervention Program

• In Event: 1-115 - Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Section - Prevention and Interventions

Integrative Statement

Background. Early intervention (EI) programs authorized under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) provide services for infants and toddlers ages birth to three with or at risk for developmental delays and disabilities. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17, Part C programs in the U.S. served 372,896 children and their families (Early Childhood Technical Assistance [ECTA] Center, 2018). Despite the acknowledged importance of early intervention to mitigate the negative impact of diagnosed conditions and delays on children's later development (Guralnick, 2005), little is known about the overall developmental progress made by children who receive EI. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to provide descriptive data on the developmental progress of infants and toddlers who participated in a large state's Part C EI program.

Method. Data for this study consisted of developmental assessment records for 6,429 infants and toddlers who exited the state of Florida's EI program in FY 2016-17. In Florida, infants and toddlers referred for evaluation for eligibility for Part C EI are assessed with the Battelle Developmental Inventory, 2nd Edition (BDI-2; Newborg, 2005). The BDI-2 yields standard scores (referred to as Developmental Quotients, or DQs) in five domains: personal-social, adaptive, communication, cognitive, and motor. Children are assessed again, using the BDI-2, when they exit the EI program.

Children's entry and exit DQs in each domain were used to categorize children into one of five categories of overall developmental delay, on both entry and exit: no delay (DQ > -1.5 SD in all five domains); mild delay (DQ between -1.5 SD and -2.0 SD in a maximum of one domain); moderate delay (DQ between -1.5 SD and -2.0 SD in two or more domains); significant delay (DQ < -2.0 SD in a maximum of one domain); and severe delay (DQ < -2.0 SD in two or more domains). A comparison of children's classification on entry and exit was used to identify children who showed overall developmental progress (as indicated by movement from a more severe to a less severe delay category) vs. persistence or worsening of their delay (as evidenced by staying in the same delay category or moving to a more severe category of delay over time).

Results and Discussion. On entry, 12.4% of infants and toddlers showed no delay below the eligibility threshold (DQ < -1.5 SD) in any domain. Of these children, most of whom were likely determined eligible on the basis of established conditions associated with later delays, 58.5% showed no delay on exit (Figure 1). Approximately 40-50% of children with mild or moderate delays showed no delay on exit, while only 15-30% of children with significant or severe delays did so. Approximately half of children entering with delays made developmental progress (Figure 2). Taken together, these results indicate that many children make significant developmental gains during their participation in EI. At the same time, the results suggest that approximately 70% of children served in EI will need continued specialized supports and services.

Authors

• Batya Elbaum, University of Miami
  Presenting Author

• Seniz Celimli-Aksoy, University of Miami
  Non-Presenting Author