What is it?
Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status-Developmental Milestones (PEDS-DM) is a six to eight item screener that tracks children’s development in multiple domains. The screener can be conducted through parent reports, parent-child interviews, or direct administration with the child. The PEDS-DM screen takes about five minutes to complete.
What is the evidence base?
PEDS-DM has high sensitivity (84 percent) and specificity (83 percent) for each domain and age level. Sensitivity is the accuracy of the screener in classifying a child with delayed development. Specificity is the accuracy of the screener in classifying a child who is not delayed. Sensitivity and specificity levels of 70 percent to 80 percent are deemed acceptable for screening tests. Additionally, PEDS-DM has high internal consistency meaning the various domains are relatively unassociated with each other and the items capture unique dimensions of child development.
