Developmental Tools Used During Routine Well-Child Visits

The following questionnaires are examples of some of the developmental tools a health professional can use to determine whether a child has any developmental delays:

• Ages and Stages Questionnaire
• BRIGANCE screens
• Child development inventories (such as the Denver II and the Minnesota Child Development Inventory)
• Parents' Evaluations of Development Status (PEDS)
• Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT)

Although these questionnaires are important, they may not consistently identify problems, such as autism, in older children, teens, and young adults or in a child any age who has a mild condition. But when used routinely, they can help identify subtle developmental delays that may otherwise be missed.