We are pleased to confirm that we are now ready to implement our new developmental screening tool and phase out the use of the Nipissing District Developmental Screening tool we had been using for over the past decade.

Almost everyone on our team (except those who were sick that day) spent a Saturday in December undergoing a full day of training on the implementation and administration of the new Ages and Stages Questionnaire. We have invested in training all of our educators and purchasing the latest screening tool in order to ensure that each and every child in our care realizes their full potential and that we are able to provide appropriate supports to our children. The tools are based on the latest available research and are being updated as research continues. The tools are called the AQQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2:

ASQ-3 deals with the following developmental areas:

Communication: Your child’s language skills, both what your child understands and what he or she can say.
Gross Motor: How your child uses their arms and legs and other large muscles for sitting, crawling, walking, running, and other activities.
Fine Motor: Your child’s hand and finger movement and coordination.
Problem Solving: How your child plays with toys and solves problems.
Personal-Social: Your child’s self-help skills and interactions with others

ASQ: SE-2 deals with the following developmental areas:

Autonomy: Your child’s ability or willingness to self-initiate or respond without guidance (moving to independence).
Compliance: Your child’s ability or willingness to conform to the direction of others and follow rules.
Adaptive Functioning: Your child’s success or ability to cope with bodily needs (sleeping, eating, toileting, safety).
Self-Regulation: Your child’s ability or willingness to calm or settle down or adjust to physiological or environmental conditions or stimulations.
Affect: Your child’s ability or willingness to demonstrate their own feelings and empathy for others.
Interaction: Your child’s ability or willingness to respond to or initiate social responses with parents, other adults, and peers.
Social-Communication: Your child’s ability or willingness to interact with others by responding or initiating verbal or nonverbal signals to indicate interests, needs, or feelings.

What is different about the ASQ is that the assessment is completed by you at home. Studies have shown that parent-completed screeners like ASQ are very effective at pinpointing child progress. Information parents give about their children is usually highly accurate. We will be providing you with a questionnaire to complete at home shortly, if we have not already done so. Each questionnaires will take only 10-15 minutes to complete and we ask that you please provide us the completed questionnaire within one week as questionnare used and the results will be based on the exact age of each child.

I have already started using the ASQ with my 3 month old at home and it's great! The great thing about ASQ is that it’s strengths-focused—the emphasis is really on what your child can do. It’s the perfect way to keep track of milestones and celebrate them as your child grows and develops. Regular screening provides a fast and helpful look at how your child is doing in important areas like communication, social skills, motor skills, and problem-solving skills. Screening can identify your child’s strengths, uncover new milestones to celebrate, and reveal any areas where your child may need support. It helps you understand your child’s development and know what to look for next.

Our educators are available to answer any questions you might have and you can always reach out to the Directors with any questions or concerns. We have attached more information on the ASQ for anyone interested in learning more:

You can also visit: https://agesandstages.com/about-asq/for-parents/