The role of the physician in early intervention screening for infants and toddlers.

Research conducted over the past decade with infants and preschool children has confirmed the positive outcomes of early intervention. As a result, an urgent need now exists to develop strategies which accurately identify children in need of such services. Information derived from a comprehensive research base suggests that developmental surveillance models hold the most promise for accurately identifying developmentally disabled and vulnerable young children; and moreover, that physicians must assume a critical role in such models. Research also indicates that if such models are to be effective, they must be multivariate, child and family focused, and undertaken more than once.