The KIDS chart. A simple, reliable infant development screening tool.

We describe a screening tool for infant development, the Kansas Infant Development Screen (KIDS). Validity data showed a very high correlation between developmental and chronologic age in 111 normal infants (r = .986). Among 96 infants and young children with delayed development, the results from use of the KIDS chart were compared with those obtained from a detailed evaluation using the Michigan Developmental Programming for Infants and Young Children, and the correlation was again high (r = .979). Interobserver reliability between use and observers in five different pediatric settings showed high correlations (r = .997). This seems to be a sensitive and reliable developmental screen. It is simple, requires only a few minutes to administer, and is helpful in following up children with both normal and delayed development. It portrays the infant's developmental level in a format that is readily understood by both professional and lay people.