The Longitudinal Study of Findings in Childhood

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Abstract
• The Brookline Early Education Project provided periodic diagnostic assessments and individualized educational programs for approximately 300 children enrolled at birth in an attempt to reduce the prevalence of neglected health needs and school problems. A method, The Longitudinal Study of Findings, was developed to monitor and document diagnostic findings (determinations suggesting a possible service need). Each finding was rated for severity, treatability, and predictive value (potential impact on future function). At the 42-month-old check-point, 87% of children had at least one finding; there was a mean of 3.4 findings per child. Only 15% of findings had a high likelihood of treatability, and 12% were rated as highly predictive of later problems. Only 1.1% of findings were highly predictive and highly treatable. While certain categories of findings tended to prevail in isolation, others tended to coexist in the same child. (Am J Dis Child 1982;136:303-309)