Things to Keep in Mind When Scoring Questions for Developmental Domain

During the interview, write down your observations, and take the time to discuss any differences between what is reported by the caregiver and what is seen or read in medical records to ensure accurate scoring. See “Scoring when medical records are not available or conflict with reported function” in PAS Documentation for more guidance.

Answer items based on the child’s performance now, not based on the way the skills were performed at the ages indicated on the PAS tool.

NOTE There are some questions with an exception. These questions are called Precursor Skills. See definition below.

All available, pertinent records should be reviewed prior to completing the PAS scoring to supplement information gathered at the interview.

Don’t assume a child can perform skills based on their performance in other developmental age ranges. Many children with developmental delays have Scattered Skills. See definition below.

At the PAS interview, read all the questions exactly as they are worded on the PAS tool. Do not paraphrase the questions. Further explanation can be given if the question is not understood, however that should be done only after reading the full question as it is written.

If the parent or caregiver’s response to the question is “sometimes” ask more questions to assess what is meant by “sometimes” and determine the proper score. If the skill is emerging, and a child has just begun to perform the milestone, the answer would be “Yes” regardless of how well they do it.

Enter a comment for ALL questions asked. Include who reported the information, what the answer was (Yes or No), and any additional information given.