Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! Developmental Screening Passport (Help Me Grow National Center)
Starting at birth and continuing throughout childhood, children reach developmental milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and more. Developmental screening is a way to check a child’s development and identify if they are on track or might benefit from extra help. The developmental screening passport is designed to help parents and caregivers track their child’s screening records and share screening information with providers. The passport is updated from a resource originally developed by the Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! collaborative, a coordinated effort from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Education to encourage developmental and behavioral screening and support for children, families, and the providers who care for them.
Parents and caregivers know their child best. If they are concerned about their child’s development, they should talk to their child’s doctor and share screening results and completed milestone checklists. Parents and caregivers can use this passport in a variety of ways to monitor their child’s screening history and talk with their doctor.
How Parents and Caregivers Can Use the Passport
- Fill out the passport whenever their child has a developmental screening
- Take the screening record to each check-up
- Talk about screening results with a health care professional
- Ask their doctor to update their child’s records
- Share the passport with anyone who provides services for their child
