Long-term surveillance of high-risk children
J. A. Blackman, S. D. Lindgren, H. A. Hein and D. C. Harper
Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City.
We followed a group of high-risk children, both those who passed early
developmental screenings and those who did not. Three hundred sixty-two
children who had previously passed screenings were evaluated at 5 years of
age. Significant differences were found between this group and a comparison
group in mean scores on verbal, perceptuomotor, and preacademic tests.
Children who had previously failed screenings at or before 30 months of age
were followed up through telephone interviews with referral agencies and
records review. Ninety percent proved to have significant problems, and 67%
were in special education programs at 5 years of age. This study
demonstrates the need for long-term follow-up of high-risk children at
least to the age of school entry.
