Scoping review on noticing concerns in child development: a missing piece in the early intervention puzzle

Abstract

Background

Between 13 and 32% of children in developed nations are at-risk for developmental delays. In order to identify concerns, there is a need to understand the mechanisms that facilitate becoming aware of it.

Aim

A scoping review was conducted to understand this process of “noticing”, through existing literature on parent experiences.

Methods

Records from major academic databases and grey literature sources were searched using key terms. Thematic analysis was then conducted to synthesise findings.

Results

Twenty papers meeting inclusion were identified. Noticing a delay was found to be an interplay between who notices – parents or other – and how they do so. How concerns are noticed was through two mechanisms: knowledge of child development, and comparison with other children.

Conclusions

This review highlights the nuanced complexity of noticing concerns with a child’s development. Understanding how this process occurs and the key ingredients that enable it is vital to supporting early detection of developmental delays.

Implications for rehabilitation

• Noticing developmental delays is a complex process that evolves over time, derived of ‘who’ notices and ‘how’ this occurs.

• When asking parents about child development, professionals need to listen for both bolder “aha moments” as well as more subtle “niggling” comments as indicators of parental concerns.

• Building baseline parental knowledge of developmental milestones may facilitate noticing of atypical development.

• Encouraging parents to engage in social opportunities with other children promotes both positive child development and enables developmental monitoring through use of comparison.

Keywords:

• Child development
• delayed diagnosis
• family
• neurodevelopmental disorders
• language development disorders
• rehabilitation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

Ms Cuomo acknowledges PhD scholarship support from the Minderoo Foundation (through CoLab, Telethon Kids Institute) and the Australian Government Research Training Program.