Children with Special Needs

Question 1

What is developmental delay?

Answer 1

• when functional aspects of the childs development
• in one or more domains (motor, language, cognitive, social, emotion)
• are significantly delayed compared to the expected level for age

Question 2

What is global developmental delay (GDD)?

Answer 2

• performance below 2SD below mean, of age-appropriate, norm-reference testing

Question 3

What is a learning disability?

Answer 3

• a significant impairment in intellectual functioning
• • affects a persons ability to learn + problem solve in their daily life
• nearly always been present since childhood

Question 4

When are developmental delays usually identified?

Answer 4

• routine health surveillance
• children with identified risk factors
• parental concern
• professional contact- nursery, day care
• opportunistic health contact
• the UK Healthy Child Programme (HCP)

Question 5

How is development assessed?

Answer 5

• history + exam
• prenatal, perinatal, postnatal events
• develppmental milestones
• the ‘Red Book’
• environmental, family, social history
• video recordings of child
• observation in clinic + other settings

Question 6

What are assessment tools for development, used in primary care?

Answer 6

• ASQ (ages + stages questionaire)
• PEDS (parental evaluation of developmental status)
• M-CHAT (checklist for autism in toddlers)
• SOGS-2 (shedule of growing skills)
• development across range of 9 key areas
• 0-5 yrs
• seperate cognitive score can be derived

Question 7

How are developmental abilities quantified?

Answer 7

• all areas of development are age appropriate
• delay: global or isolated
• disorder: abnormal progression + presentation (e.g. autism)
• regression: loss of milestones

Question 8

What are assessment tool for development, used in secondary care?

Answer 8

• Griffiths mental development scales
• Bayley scales of infant development
• Wechsler preschool + primary scales of intelligence

Question 9

What is involved in examination of development?

Answer 9

• head circumference
• dysmorphic features
• skin abnormalities
• movement quality
• abilty to sit + stand from supine
• eye movements + eye exam
• general exam, CVS, respiratory, abdominal
• observe behaviour

Question 10

What are red flags for developmental delays?

Answer 10

• loss of developmental skills
• concerns for vision/hearing
• floppiness
• no speech by 18-24 months
• asymmetry of movement
• persistant toe walking
• head circumference > 99.6th C or <0.4th C

Question 11

What are common delevopmental problems?

Answer 11

• motor
• delayed maturation
• cerebral palsy
• developmental coordination condition
• sensory
• deafness
• visual impairment
• multisensory impairment
• language/cognitive
• specific language impairment
• learning disability
• social/communication
• autism
• asperger syndrome
• elective mutism

Question 12

What parts of the MDT are involved in developmental delays?

Answer 12

• developmental paediatrician
• speech + language therapist
• OT/PT
• psychologist
• social worker
• geneticist

Question 13

What are the effects on the family from developmental delays?

Answer 13

• emotional
• social isolation
• financial implications
• implication for siblings
• wider family

Question 14

What are local services available for developmental problems?

Answer 14

• community paediatric clinics
• child development teams
• multidisciplinary assessment
• therapy services

Question 15

What is meant by additional support needs?

Answer 15

• if a child or young person needs additional support with their education
• any kind of educational provision that is more than, or very different from, education that is normally provided in mainstream schools
• ensure development of the personality, talents + mental + physical abilities of that child or young person to their fullest potential

Question 16

What might additional support be needed?

Answer 16

• difficulties with mainstream approach to learning
• disability or health needs, such as motor or sensory impairment, learning difficulties or autism spectrum disorder
• family circumstances, e.g. young people who are carers or parents

Question 17

What is personal learning planning (PLP)?

Answer 17

• a way of thinking about, talking about and planning what and how a child learns
• also a way of assessing their progress + acting on the results of that assessment

Question 18

What is indiviualised education plane (IEP)?

Answer 18

• a detailed plan for a childs learning
• specific short term learning targets for the child + will set out how those targets will be achieved
• targerts are; specific, measurable, timed, achievable, relevant
• can also be called; additional support plans or individual support plans

Question 19

What are coordinated support plans?

Answer 19

• a detailed plan of how a child support will be provided
• is a legal document
• aims to ensure all the professionals who are helping the child, are working together + ensure that everyone, inc parents and child are involved in that support
• for children in local authority school education + needing significant additional support
• complex or multiple needs
• needs likely to continue > 1 yr
• support required by > 1 agency

Question 20

What is the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach?

Answer 20

• involves a ‘Child’s Plan’
• created if a child or young person needs some extra support to meet their wellbeing needs such as access to mental health services or respite care, or help from a range of different agencies
• why a child or young person needs support
• the type of support they wil need
• how long they will need support + who should provide it
• part of the Children and Young People Act
• all professionals working with the child or young person would use the plan, which may include an IEP or CSP