Three times more pediatricians screened children for developmental delays in 2016 than in 2002, according to a study published in Pediatrics.
In 2006, the American Academy of Pediatrics introduced guidelines instructing physicians to screen children for developmental delays using a standardized tool at well-child visits.
To assess adherence to these guidelines, researchers analyzed AAP Periodic Survey data from 2002, 2009 and 2016, representing responses from more than 1,500 pediatricians.
The reported use of developmental screening tools jumped from 21 percent in 2002 to 63 percent in 2016. Physicians were also more likely to refer at-risk patients to early intervention services in 2016.
"To sustain this progress, additional efforts are needed to enhance referral systems, improve [early intervention] programs and provide better tracking of child outcomes," researchers concluded.