Denver II Screening Test Overview

Denver II Screening Test Overview

• Used for evaluating well children from birth to age 6.
• Not an IQ test and does not diagnose conditions.
• Assesses development by comparing child’s performance with peers of the same age.
• Conducted only when developmental concerns arise, not routinely for every child.

Four Sectors of the Denver II

• Personal-Social: Skills that indicate independence such as feeding and dressing.
• Fine Motor-Adaptive: Involves detailed and precise movements, developing after gross motor skills.
• Language: Covers speech abilities, understanding, and cognitive knowledge.
• Gross Motor: Involves larger physical movements like running and hopping.

Age Scale in the Denver II

• Age is determined by drawing a line corresponding to the child’s age across the top and bottom of the form.

Calculating Child's Exact Age

• Subtract the child’s birthdate from today’s date using specific methods for borrowing days or months if necessary.

Number of Test Items

• The Denver II contains a total of 125 test items to evaluate developmental milestones.

Bar Graph in the Denver II

• Displays the age milestones at which 25%, 50%, 75%, and 90% of children successfully pass specific test items.

Items with Footnote Instructions

• Items marked with a small footnote number provide additional instructions on the reverse side of the form.

Reporting from Parents

• Items indicated with an "R" may be completed based on parental report instead of direct assessment.

Age Calculation Order

• Age must be documented in the order of years, months, and days for clarity.

Adjusting for Prematurity

• Children under 2 years who are more than 2 weeks premature require age adjustments by converting weeks into months and days.

Understanding Time Frames

• 12 months in a year.
• 4 weeks in a month.
• 30 days in a month.

Advanced Items

• Tasks that exceed the age line are marked with an "A" in the appropriate box, indicating higher capability without further testing.

Normal Items

• Tasks falling to the left of the age line or intersecting it that are passed are marked with a "P," indicating no concerns.

Caution Items

• Failures or refusals on items near the age line (between 75th and 90th percentiles) are noted with a "C."

Delayed Items

• Failures on items left of the age line are indicated by shading the right end of the box, signifying developmental delays.

Overall Results: Normal

• Reflects no developmental delays, with a maximum of one caution. Routine follow-up is recommended at the next well-child visit.

Overall Results: Suspect

• Indicates potential abnormalities with two or more cautions or any delays. A re-screen is advised within 1-2 weeks to rule out temporary issues.

Overall Results: Untestable

• Occurs with refusals on items to the left of the age line or within the caution range. Re-evaluation is necessary within 1-2 weeks.