TIPS Follow-Up: Assessing your Child’s Development after Discharge

Follow-Up Options Before your baby is discharged, your health care team will describe the type of follow-up that is best to monitor your baby’s development. There are three important things to know about your baby’s follow-up. 1: There are three follow-up options:  Developmental Screening: Follow-up through Parent Questionnaire  Developmental Screening/Assessment: Follow-up through Clinic Visit  Follow-up through Survey of Services Received 2. Follow-up occurs at the following ages:  6, 18, 24 (corrected age) and 36 months 3. There is no cost to you and your family.

Follow-Up Options  Follow-up Follow-up by Questionnaire  Follow-up Follow-up by Clinic  Follow-Up Follow-Up by Survey of Services Received

What are we evaluating at each follow-up time? Click on any of the links below to determine what we would be evaluating at each follow-up assessment. Six months Sixteen months 24 months 36 months

What are we evaluating at 6 months? Here are just a few areas… Is your baby playing with toys by shaking, banging and mouthing? Does your baby play in social games? Does your baby look at pictures in books? Is your baby rolling over and beginning to sit with support? What sounds is your baby making? How has your baby’s health been? Do you have any concerns regarding your baby’s development?

What are we evaluating at 16 months? Here are just a few areas… Does your baby put toys in and out of containers? Does your baby follow simple directions and know their body parts? Is your baby beginning to walk independently? What words is your baby saying? How has your baby’s health been? Do you have any concerns regarding your baby’s development?

What are we evaluating at 24 months? Here are just a few areas… Is your toddler climbing and running? Is your toddler completing simple puzzles? What words or phrases does you baby say? Does your baby join in pretend play? Does your baby point to pictures in books? How has your baby’s health been? Do you have any concerns regarding your baby’s development?

What are we evaluating at 36 months? Here are just a few areas… Is your preschooler matching like objects, shapes and colors? Is your preschooler jumping, hopping, and climbing? Does your preschooler draw shapes? Is your preschooler joining in pretend play (like playing house) with other children? Does your preschooler talk in sentences of 3 to 5 words? How has your baby’s health been? Do you have any concerns regarding your baby’s development?

Follow-Up by Questionnaire At the designated follow-up times, you will be sent the Ages and Stages Questionnaire. It will ask you questions about your child’s development. Just complete the questionnaire and return it in the self-enclosed envelope.

Two Additional Assessments M-CHAT - An autism screener [at 16 and 24 months of age the TIPS team will send you two additional screeners. The M-CHAT will screen for autism] CSBS - A communication screener [the CSBS will is a communication screening. These both will provide useful information to the team on your child’s development] These parent-completed questionnaires will also be completed at 16 and 24 months of age.

Ages and Stages Questionnaire Click on the image at right to open the Ages & Stages Questionnaire…

How will I know if my child is doing ok? A developmental specialist will score the screening. If your child is doing well on the screener you will get a letter with the results.

What if my baby is not doing things like other children his/her age? Sometimes there may be areas where your baby may not have some of the skills that may be expected based on your answers on the questionnaire. What happens next? 1. A developmental specialist will call you to gather more information. 2. If you are still concerned: Your child can then be referred to the Early Developmental Network or Early Access where a more comprehensive assessment is completed OR We can schedule you to come to the nearest TIPS clinic for further assessment.

Parenting Resources At each screening follow-up your family will receive a Just-In- Time Parenting Newsletter that will provide you with helpful parenting information.

Follow-Up by Developmental Screening

Participating Clinics - Omaha Childrens Hospital & Medical Center 8200 Dodge Street, North Tower 5 th Floor Omaha, NE Sandy Bennett - Methodist Women’s Hospital 707 N. 190 th Plaza Omaha, NE Kathy Walburn (402) Munroe-Meyer Institute Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE Joanie Dinsmore –

Participating Clinics - Lincoln St. Elizabeth Medical Center 555 South 70 th St. Lincoln, NE Connie Paben /

Participating Clinics - Kearney Kearney Clinic 211 W. 33 rd St. Kearney, NE Carol Florang (402)

Participating Clinics - Scottsbluff Regional West Medical Center 3911 Avenue B Scottsbluff, NE Sue Krieg –

Developmental Screening During the clinic appointment a team will evaluate your baby using a screening or assessment tool. Each clinic may have different team members but generally all will have a developmental specialist, nurse, and developmental pediatrician.

What will happen at clinic? An assessment will be completed by a team of specialists to see how your baby is developing. Any questions that you have about your baby’s health and development will be discussed. Watch the videotape segment to see a part of an assessment of a toddler in clinic.

Two Additional Assessments M-CHAT- A autism screener [at 16 and 24 months of age the TIPS team will send you two additional screeners for you to complete and bring with you to the clinic. The M-CHAT will screen for autism] CSBS - A communication screener [the CSBS is a communication screening]. These both will provide useful information to the team on your child’s development. These parent-completed questionnaires will also be completed at 16 and 24 months of age.

What happens if the team and I have concerns about my child’s development? The team will talk with you about possible resources in your community. For most children we would recommend a referral to the Early Developmental Network (Nebraska) or Early Access (Iowa).

Parent testimonial

Parenting Resources At each screening follow-up your family will receive a Just-In- Time Parenting Newsletter that will provide you with helpful parenting information. Just-In- Time Parenting Newsletter

Follow-Up Survey of Services Received Sometimes babies may need ongoing developmental intervention when they are discharged from the NICU. These early intervention services are provided by all states. In Nebraska, the program is called Early Development Network and in Iowa it is called Early Access.Early Development NetworkEarly Access For children referred for early intervention services, Developmental TIPS will send out a survey to gather information on the services your child is now receiving.

Help Us Help Your Child The information that you send us helps us better understand the needs and outcomes of children who face unique challenges!

Parenting Resources At each screening follow-up your family will receive a Just-In- Time Parenting Newsletter that will provide you with helpful parenting information.Just-In- Time Parenting Newsletter