How to Administer PEDS: Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status

Frances Page GlascoeAdjunct Professor of Pediatrics

Vanderbilt University

PARENTS’ EVALUATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL STATUS

A Method for Detecting and Addressing Developmental and Behavioral Problems

• For children 0 to 8 years• Takes about 5 minutes for parents to complete, 1-2

2 minutes to score• Elicits parents’ concerns (in multiple languages• Sorts children into high, moderate or low risk for

developmental and behavioral problems• 4th – 5th grade reading level so > 90% can complete

independently• Score/Interpretation form used longitudinally• Online application with automated scoring/results

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PEDS’ Evidenced Based Decisions Path A: high risk of developmental disabilities, shows what kinds of referrals are needed. Path B: moderate risk of disabilities, need for additional screening, developmental promotion, monitoringPath C: low risk of developmental disabilities but elevated risk for mental health problems, need for parent education, monitoring, and/ or additional behavioral screeningPath D: moderate risk of developmental disabilities, problems with parental communication and need for hands-on screeningPath E: low risk for either type of disability for which reassurance is the best response

“Oh, by the way…..”

Reduces “doorknob concerns”Focuses visit and facilitates patient flowImproves parent satisfaction and positive parenting practicesIncreases provider confidence in decision- makingSurvey version used in evaluation of health

care plans by FACCT and NSECH

How to Administer PEDS

1. Ask parents whether they would like to complete the Response Form on their own or have someone go through it with them.

If, in writing, parents only circle answers and don’t write anything on the form, you cannot be sure of literacy and should readminister PEDS as an interview

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Computing the Child’s Age

Correct for prematurity if less than 24 months old

Once parents have completed the Response Form, begin the scoring process by

Find the correct column for the child’s age on the PEDS Score Form

SCORING: Find Age Column

SCORING: Categorize Concerns

Read through all comments

Look at the PEDS Brief Guide for examples of how to categorize concerns in the various domains of development

EXAMPLES OF PARENTS’ CONCERNS

Expressive Language: He can’t talk plain

Receptive Language: She doesn’t seem to understand us

Gross Motor: He’s clumsy, falls a lot, awkward, late to walk

Fine Motor: She can’t write well, messy eater

Global/Cognitive: Slow and behind, can’t do what other kids can

Other: trouble hearing, seeing, health problems, family issues

Social/Emotional: He’s mean, she’s bossy, doesn’t have friends

Behavior: He won’t mind me, temper tantrums

Academic/preacademic: trouble in school, doesn’t know ABCs

Self-Help: Can’t get dressed by himself

I used to be worried but now I think he’s doing OK

SCORING: Mark the Score FormMark the box to show the kind of concern

Even if there are several different kinds of issues under the same category, only check the box once (e.g, tantrums, hyperactivity, biting-- all just get a single check under behavior)

When parents circle “a little” to indicate the degree of concern, view this as a “yes”

Scoring: Alert

Parents don’t always answer the question asked so be sure to focus on the catagories of concern, not the type

of question asked

Scoring: Add your concerns too

If you have a concern about a child, you can add checks to the boxes

However, don’t remove or ignore the parents concerns

Scoring: Summary

Total the number of concerns in the shaded boxes into the large shaded box at the bottom

Total the number of concerns in the unshaded boxes into the large unshaded box at the bottom

Scoring: Finding the Correct Path-I

First, follow the directions below the large shaded box.

If the number is 2 or more, follow Path A

If the number is 1, follow Path B

Scoring: Finding the Correct Path-II

If no shaded boxes are checked but the number in the large nonshaded boxes is 1 or more, follow Path C

If there is a 0 in both large boxes but you have concerns about the child, follow Path D

If there is a 0 in both boxes and you don’t have concerns, follow Path E

Interpretation Form: Path APath A is the High Risk path and suggests possible developmental disabilities. Refer promptly for evaluations through EI or the public schools.

Path A suggests the type of evaluations needed based on the types of concerns

Add your clinical judgment about what other kinds of services may be needed (e.g., social work, mental health, etc.)

Additional screening with the M-CHAT is wise

Path B

Path B suggests Moderate Risk for developmental disabilities

In response screen further or refer for screening

Offer developmental promotion to those who don’t qualify for special services and provide “watchful waiting”/extra monitoring

Consider referrals to Head Start, after school tutoring, etc.

Path CPath C: Low risk of developmental disability but elevated risk of mental health problems, especially in children 4 years and older

For children under 4, give parents advice and written information, and monitor effectiveness

If such counseling is not effective, provide mental health screening or refer for screening (both child and family-focused)

For children 4 and older, give mental health screens or refer for screening (child and family)

Path D

Path D is rare but is used for parent-provider communication difficulties (e.g., no language in common, teen parent who doesn’t know much his child, parents with serious mental health or language problems

Refer these children for hands-on screening (e.g, with the PEDS:DM, Brigance or ASQ)

Path E

Path E: Low risk for problems either in development or social-emotional areas

Offer reassurance unless your clinical judgment suggests a problem

PEDSInterpretation Form Details

The Interpretation Form has space on the right to record your decisions, referrals, advise, etc. This provides a longitudinal record of services provided—helpful for audits, etc.

Case Examples

Practice Examples: Amy

Amy Response

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Practice Examples: Billy

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Practice Examples: Roger

I’m worried about how my child talks and relates to us. He says things that don’t have anything to do with what’s going on. He is oblivious to anything but what he is doing. He’s not doing as well as other kids in many ways.

Yes, he just repeats things like “Wheel of Fortune”

I can’t tell what he understands or if he is just ignoring us.

He’s good with manipulatives but sometimes does lots of the same things over and over: flick lights, spin wheels on his cars

He’s very coordinated and very fast!

Lots of tantrums

He just doesn’t seem interested in even watching other kids.

He is very independent

He’s too young for that sort of stuff

We spend a lot of time playing and talking with him and this seems to be helping some. I do wonder about his hearing sometimes though.

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Roger

What next?

Electronic PEDS

• www.forepath.org

• Web accessible PEDS for– Licensed PEDS users– Self-selected parents

• PEDS scoring Web service for EMR/EHR and other electronic systems

Subject Information

Parent Information

PEDS Questions

M-CHAT (optional)

Results (record)

Results (parent information)

Letter of Referral

Resources for Parents

Data Resources

• All demographics captured

• De-identified datasets available for research (subject to IRB and HIPPA)

• Multiple formats available (SQL, text, Excel, etc)

• Raw or aggregated data

Flexible

• Works with several workflow approaches • Adaptable to licensee’s level of automation

– Faster screening and analysis for paper-based organizations– Can be fully integrated with licensee’s electronic systems– – or anything in between

• Referral letters and parent information sheets are fully customizable for each licensee or locale

• Many options for collection of research data

Practice Examples: Sarah

Sarah Response Form

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Practice Examples: Jeremy

Jeremy response

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Initiating PEDS in your practice

Decide on a point personExplain rationale to staffAllow staff to help with decisions about

where, when, and how Place posters of critical milestones in exam

rooms and waiting areasGather list of referral resources and patient

education materialsScreen and screen again!

Delivering difficult news to parents

• Prepare parents for screening in a positive way• Inform parents about the purpose for each test• Validate concerns expressed by parents• Use descriptive terms rather than diagnostic

labels• Present news in a thoughtful, caring way,

preferably in person• Provide hope• Help parents to establish action plan• Provide contact information for resources in

community• Offer ongoing support• Provide information handouts

CPT Procedure Codes for Screening

Modify the preventive service code by - 25 (to show that stand alone services were also provided) and then add:

96110 Developmental Screening (times the number of screens administered). You can also add:

99420 Administration and interpretation of health risk assessment (can include Family Psychosocial Screen)

96114 Neurobehavioral status exam if you’ve done a thorough eval of tone, reflexes, etc.

Diagnosis Codes

783.4 Developmental Delay

309.23 Academic Inhibition

(school problems)

315.4 Developmental Coordination Disorder

784.5 Other Speech Disturbance

309.3 Disturbance of Conduct

Locating Referral ResourcesIn your handout are websites on finding:

Early intervention/child find services

Quality day care and preschool programs

Head Start and Early Head Start programs

Mental Health services

Parent training programs

For referrals to the public schools, be sure to put results in writing and document hearing and vision screening results (to speed the referral process. Parental or office staff advocacy helps too). The AAP’s section on dbpeds: www.dbpeds.org