Infant Development Inventory (IDI): birth to 18 months (Ireton, 1994)

Child Development Review (CDR): 18 months – kindergarten (Ireton, 1990)

The Infant Development Inventory and the Child Development Review are described together because they have similar formats. They are the briefest screening questionnaires and are, therefore, the most parent-friendly.

The Infant Development Inventory briefly asks parents to describe their baby, report the infant’s activities, their questions and concerns about their baby’s health, development, behavior, etc., and how they are doing as parents. They are asked to report their child’s developmental skills in five areas – social, self help, gross motor, fine motor and language – by using the Infant Development Chart on the backside of the parent questionnaire. This chart includes monthly developmental milestones.

The Infant Development Chart also may be used by the professional as a child observation guide or as a guide for interviewing parents about age-related developmental skills.

IDI Research
IDI results were compared to Bayley Mental Scores for eighty-six eight-month-olds (Creighton & Suave, 1988). IDI results for each area of development categorized as delayed or not delayed, were compared to Bayley findings. IDI results, using the lowest IDI score, yielded good sensitivity in detecting delay (85%) and fair specificity (77%) in identifying normal development at age eight months.


Child Development Review
The CDR (18 months – kindergarten) was derived from years of research and practical experience with all the other child development inventories. It is brief, yet comprehensive, providing information about the child’s health, development and adjustment, and about the parent’s functioning.

The parent completes the front side of the CDR, which includes two sections: 1) six questions, and 2) a 26 item possible problems checklist. The six questions include – describe your child, child’s activities, child’s strengths, child’s special problems or disabilities, parent’s questions and concerns and “How are you doing as a parent?” The comprehensive problems list covers health, growth, hearing, vision, habits (eating, elimination, sleeping), aches and pains, energy, motor symptoms, language symptoms, behavior and emotional problems. The back side of the CDR contains a Child Development Chart for the first five years. The professional may use this chart in three ways: first, as an observation guide, second as a parent interview guide, and third, as a parent handout. This chart helps determine the child’s developmental in five areas – social, self-help, gross motor, fine motor, and language. The developmental skills and age norms are from research with the CDI (Child Development Inventory).

Parent’s responses to the six questions and problems checklist are classified as indicating 1) No problem; 2) a Possible problem; or 3) Possible major problem. The Child Development Chart results are compared to age norms, and classified as “typical” for age in all areas, or as “borderline” or “delayed” in one or more areas of development. Guidelines for identifying indicators of need for follow-up are described in the manual.

CDR Research
Parent’s responses to the CDR questions indicating problems or concerns about the child’s development are related to placement in early childhood special education. Problems Checklist: Language and motor problems reported by parents are related to placement in early childhood special education. A few problems also predict poor performance in kindergarten, for example, “Slow to catch on: does not seem to understand well.”

Independent Research on IDI and CDR-PQ

Use of the CDR in a Pediatric Clinic
Barbara Felt and Mary O’Connor, Ambulatory Pediatrics. 2004; Vol.3,1. Pp.2-8
Parents of toddlers and preschoolers in a primary care clinic serving innder city, low-income children completed the CDR-Parent Questionnaire prior to the well-child visit with the pediatric resident. Identification of parents’ concerns regarding their child’s behavior was highter for parents completing the CDR (122) than for a control group (135). Physicians having the CDR results at the start of the visit were more likely to identify and discuss behavioral concerns and problems with parenets.

The authors conclude that “Use of the CDR-Parent Questionnaire increased the rate of identification and discussion of behavioral issues. . .The parents were readily able to complete the CDR. . .The use of the parent questionnaire may have helped parents organize their concerns and given them the mesage that the doctor was interested in such issues.”

Minnesota Department of Health Child Development Review - Parent Questionnaire Instrument Profile

American Academy of Pediatrics Screening Tool Recommendations