Facts About the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST)

Parents’ Questions

Nurse’s Best Response

"Will this be used as a measure of my child’s IQ?”

“What ages can be tested?”

"What will they test?”

“No, it is a screening test for your child’s development.”

“Infants through preschoolers, or from 1 month to 6 years.”

“There are four areas: personal-social, fine motor-adaptive, language, gross motor.”

“Can I stay with my child?”

“If my child fails, does it mean he is retarded?”

“If he fails, what do we do?”

“Why didn’t my child accomplish everything?”

“Why did my child score so poorly?"

“Yes, in feet it is preferred you be there.”

“No, this is not a diagnostic tool but rather a screening test.”

“Repeat the test in a week or two to rule out temporary factors.”

“He is not expected to.”

“Perhaps it’s a bad day for the child, he isn’t feeling up to par, etc.”

  1. Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST)
    1. Birth - 3 months
      1. Personal-social: smiles responsively, then spontaneously.
      2. Fine motor-adaptive:
        1. Follows 180 degrees, past midline.
        2. Grasps rattle.
        3. Holds hands together.
      3. Language: laughs/squeals; vocalizes without crying.
      4. Gross motor: while on stomach, lifts head 45-90 degrees, able to hold head steady and erect; rolls over, from stomach to back.
    2. 4 - 6 months
      1. Personal-social: works for toy; feeds self (bottle).
      2. Fine motor-adaptive: palmar grasp, reaches for objects.
      3. Language: turns toward voice, imitates speech.
      4. Gross motor: some weight bearing on legs; no head lag when pulled to sitting; sits with support.
    3. 7 - 9 months
      1. Personal-social
        1. Indicates wants
        2. Plays pat-a-cake, waves bye-bye.
      2. Fine motor-adaptive: takes two cubes in hands and bangs them together; passes cube hand to hand; crude pincer grasp.
      3. Language: “dada,” “mama,” nonspecific, jabbers.
      4. Gross motor: creeps on hands and knees; gets self up to sitting; pulls self to standing; stands holding on.
    4. 10 - 12 months
      1. Personal-social
        1. Plays ball.
        2. Imitates activities.
        3. Drinks from cup.
      2. Fine motor-adaptive: neat pincer grasp.
      3. Language: “dada,” “mama,” specific.
      4. Gross motor: stands alone well; walks holding on; stoops and recovers.
  2. Nursing interventions/parental guidance, teaching:
    1. Play
      1. First year-generally solitary.
      2. Visual stimulation
        1. Best color: red.
        2. Toys: mirrors, brightly colored pictures.
      3. Auditory stimulation
        1. Talk and sing to infant.
        2. Toys: musical mobiles, rattles, bells.
      4. Tactile stimulation
        1. Hold, pat, touch, cuddle, swaddle/ keep warm; rub body with lotion, powder.
        2. Toys: various textures; nesting and stacking; plastic milk bottle with blocks to dump in, out.
      5. Kinetic stimulation
        1. Cradle, stroller, carriage, infant seat, car rides, wind-up infant swing, jumper seat, walker, furniture strategically placed for walking.
        2. Toys: cradle gym, push-pull.
    2. Safety
      1. Note: Most common accident during first 12 months is the aspiration of foreign bodies.
        1. Keep small objects out of reach.
        2. Use one-piece pacifier only.
        3. No nuts, raisins, hot dogs, popcorn.
        4. No toys with small, removable parts.
        5. No balloons or plastic bags.
      2. Falls
        1. Raise crib rails.
        2. Never place child on high surface unsupervised.
        3. Use restraining straps in seats, swings, high-chairs, etc.
      3. Poisoning
        1. Check that paint on toys/furniture is lead-free.
        2. Treat all medications as drugs, never as “candy.”
        3. Store all poisonous substances in locked cabinet, closet.
        4. Have telephone number of poison control center on hand.
        5. Instruct in use of syrup of ipecac.
      4. Burns
        1. Use microwave oven to heat refrigerated formula only; heat only 4 oz or more for about 30 seconds. Test formula on top of your hand, not inside wrist.
        2. Check temperature of bath water; never leave infant alone in bath.
        3. Special care with cigarettes, hot liquids.
        4. Do not leave infant in sun.
        5. Cover all electrical sockets.
        6. Keep electrical wires out of sight/ reach.
        7. Avoid tablecloths with overhang.
        8. Put guards around heating devices.
      5. Motor vehicles
        1. Use only federally approved car seat for all car rides; safest position is rear-facing in middle of back seat (from birth to 20 pounds, and as close to 1 year of age as possible)
        2. Never leave stroller behind parked car.
        3. Do not allow infant to crawl near parked cars or in driveway.