Supporting Communication and Sharing Findings with Early Childhood Professionals

Like families/caregivers, early childhood professionals have valuable information about a child’s development. Their ongoing training, experience, and frequent observations of children’s development, along with the developmental surveillance and screening they may perform within their programs, can help pediatricians identify children at risk. Bidirectional communication between early childhood professionals, pediatricians, and the medical home team can support a comprehensive system of care for children and families/caregivers. This video demonstrates the collaboration between families/caregivers, early childhood professionals, and the medical home.

Resources for Health Care Providers

• AAP Developmental Surveillance and Screening Patient Care Web Site
• CDC’s Learn the Signs. Act Early. program
• Office of Child Care, Child Care Technical Assistance Site Developmental Promotion, Screening, Referral, and Services
• Find your state or territory’s early intervention program
• Childcare.gov
• Office of Head Start

Resources to Share with Local Early Childhood Professionals

• Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns free online training
• Developmental Monitoring Guide for WIC
• CDC Milestone Tracker app

Resources to Support Families

• AAP’s family-friendly developmental referral guide
• Family Voices
• Family to Family Health Information Centers
• Birth-to-Five developmental screening passport

How to Get More Involved

• Join AAP Council on Children with Disabilities (COCWD), Section on Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics (SODBP), and Council on Early Childhood (COEC)
• Connect with your CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early. Ambassador
• Support your state’s Help Me Grow efforts

This project is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $100,000 with 100 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by American Academy of Pediatrics, CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.